Nostra Cucina Recipe: Pizza Lattice Topped Turkey Casserole

So this is the last use of our Thanksgiving Turkey leftovers. Early this week, Lucas said that he wanted to make a turkey pot pie. Chicken pot pie is one of his favorite meals when we take a ride up the Delaware River to a rustic bakery-restaurant in the little town of Delaware Watergap. I said OK, but only if he'd help. We got to work. 

First, I made about a half batch of my thin crust pizza dough recipe... about 1-1/2 - 2 cups of flour, yeast, a tad salt and sugar. Put it up to rise, then started the filling.

I pulled the rest of the turkey meat off the one remaining drumstick and a wing and some left from a thigh. I chopped them up and started the base of the sauce. I made it pretty much the way I do a bechamel base for my cheese casserole, except instead of 2 cups of skim milk, I used one plus a cup of chicken broth. About four sticks of butter melted in a small saucepan, whisked in about 4 tablespoons of flour, then after it browned a little, I start adding milk and keep whisking, adding more milk until I finished it. Then I added the broth little by little, watching the texture of the sauce. If it gets too thick I can always add in more broth or even a bit of hot water, then which it back to a silky consistency. 

Then I diced a large onion, and sauteed in a fry pan with a little olive oil until translucent. Then I added the leftover baby carrots from Thanksgiving and a drained, 16 ounce can of Italian style green beans. Next I added celery cut into 1/8" slices (so they'd cook quicker).  After about 10 minutes more of cooking, I added the mix into the bechamel pan, mixed and let it simmer on a very low rear burner.

After about 30 minutes or so, we divided the filling into three small individual casserole crocks. I floured my work surface and rolled out my dusted pizza dough ball into a 1/4 thick slab. I cut long 3/4" wide strips while Lucas did the lattice work. At first, I tried to show him how, but he pushed my hand away, saying "Dad, I'm a lattice expert! I've been making lattice craft projects since kindergarten--I think I KNOW how to do a lattice!" He did...

Just look at the results in the photo above! Thanks, Lucas.

By the way, it was delicious. Lucas had the idea of sprinkling some sea salt on top after brushing with beaten egg. Perfetto!

--Jerry Finzi

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