What's For Dinner? Savory Meat Pot Pie (and it's gluten-free!)

One of the comfort foods I missed when I started eating gluten-free was pot pies from the frozen foods section in the grocery store. There was just something so savory and satisfying about those little pastries. By trial and error I figured out how to make a full-size pot pie for the family. It's one of of our favorites, and it's made mostly with leftovers!

Ingredients

I c. or more of leftover meat, chopped or cubed

1 c. or more of leftover vegetables, or cooked frozen vegetables; peas, corn, carrots, string beans work well

1 c. leftover or cooked potatoes, chopped or cubed

I c. gravy, prepared from a mix (I use Road's End Organics gravy mixes, which are gluten-free)

miscellaneous herbs: try thyme, sage, marjoram, basil, salt and pepper if necessary

ingredients for your chosen pastry

Prepare a savory pastry crust to cover the mixture. It is your choice whether to use a top and bottom crust, or just a top crust. I find it satisfactory and less complicated to use a top crust only. I use Rebecca Reilly's recipe from her book, Gluten-Free Baking. You can also go to www.celiac.com and find pastry crust recipes. You do not want sugar in the pastry.

Loose Directions

Prepare your pastry and roll it out. Leave top crust on the board until ready to use. If using bottom crust, line pie pan with it.

You can be cooking any necessary ingredients while preparing the pastry. All the ingredients must be at least partly pre-cooked before combining in a bowl. Season with herbs; go light on these unless you are experienced. The gravy mix should be salted, so go light with salt also. Pour gravy over vegetables, meat and herbs. If too thick, thin a bit with water. Pour mixture into a pie pan or casserole (I like to spray it with a flourless cooking spray first) or onto a bottom crust in same, then carefully slide pastry over the pan, form edges, and pierce top with fork.

To bake: put into oven which has been preheated to 400 degrees. Bake 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 and bake approximately 20 minutes or more until you see some browning. Cool on rack 5 or 10 minutes. Dig in!