This post is made in partnership with TINE.

The holiday season is upon us and for many, turkey takes a prominent feature on the table. Turkey is an ideal feast bird that, due to its size, can be plentiful for a crowd. More often than not, you’ll end up with leftovers and that’s where this recipe for Brunost Turkey & Kale Pot Pies comes in.  

While turkey has only recently started to become more popular in Norway, especially for New Year’s Eve, turkey has been in the country for quite some time. The first known turkey dinner was in 1648 in honor of King Frederik III, where three birds were purchased from Birgitte Olsdatter in Pippervika. Historical customs and shipping lists also refer to turkeys being introduced to several ports in Norway during the 1700s.  (Source: Ragnhild Hutchisons). Today, there are several Norwegian turkey farmers who supply quality birds, making turkey a wonderful option for a special meal.  

When you have leftovers or just feel like making a dish out of turkey, pot pies are a wonderful, warming way to treat yourself and those around you. I find individual pies have their place when looking for a more personal and fun way to serve a dish. Each individual pot gets a generous helping of the turkey filling and a buttery crust on top. For added flavor, creamy Brunost is tossed into the sauce, melting and adding an incredible taste that makes these pies even more special. Kale and mushrooms provide wonderful balance and texture.

You can make the pastry in advance, storing it in the refrigerator for 48 hours or freezing up to 6 months. I like to use a mixture of whole wheat flour and white flour for heartiness, but feel free to use what you like. And, you can always make one large pie rather than individual ones if that’s what you’re feeling that day.

Brunost Turkey & Kale Pot Pies

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For the pastry:

• 2 cups (240 g) flour (split all-purpose and whole wheat, if desired)
• 2 sticks (224 g) lightly salted butter
• ¼ cup (60 ml) ice cold water

For the filling:

• 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
• 3 large shallots, finely chopped
• 8 ounces (225 g) mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) turkey or chicken stock
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 3 ½ ounces (100 g) Ski Queen®/Gudbrandsdalen, sliced or grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (1/2 litre) leftover cooked turkey
• 1 cup (1/4 litre) kale, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten

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For the pastry, in a large bowl, combine the flour and butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to blend them together into pea size pieces. Add the ice water and gently combine to form a dough. Press the dough flat, wrap in plastic wrap or a towel, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, mushrooms, and thyme leaves and sauté until golden, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, heavy cream, Brunost, and salt, and cook until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the turkey and kale and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the filling among 4 to 6 ramekins.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a long rectangle about ¼-inch (6 mm) thick. Fold the top 1/3 of the rectangle down to the center, then fold the bottom 1/3 up and over that, like you would fold a letter. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and roll out into another long rectangle. Fold like a letter as before and repeat two more times. Roll out the dough once more to ¼-inch (6 mm) thick and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut out squares large enough to fit the top of your ramekins with a slight overhang. Place over each ramekin, brush with the beaten egg, and make slits in the middle of the pastry with a sharp knife.

Place the pies on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Let cool slightly before serving.