Festive Christmas Turkey Pie With Spinach and Béchamel

This festive Christmas turkey pie is juicy, flavorful, and perfect for a holiday table. It combines tender turkey, spinach, crispy bacon, and a creamy béchamel sauce, all wrapped in soft yeast dough and baked until golden.

You can use store-bought yeast dough or make your own: https://youtu.be/tfjhqr_8dXs

This recipe is cooked by Barbara, a 9-year-old young chef.

The full video version of this recipe is available here: https://youtu.be/eAeuEGeNfd4

For the pie:

Yeast dough — about 2 lb

Turkey (thigh meat recommended) — 1.3 lb

Spinach — 10 oz

Bacon — 5 oz

Onion — 1 medium

Garlic — 2 cloves

Salt and pepper — to taste

For the béchamel sauce:

Milk — 1¼ cups

Butter — 2 tbsp

Flour — 3 tbsp

Nutmeg — a pinch

For brushing:

Egg yolk — 1

Water — 1 tsp

Sugar — a pinch

Prepare the Ingredients

Cut the turkey thigh meat into small cubes.

Dice the bacon into small pieces.

Finely chop the onion and garlic.

Roughly chop the spinach.

Cook the Flavor Base

Heat a pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the fat renders and the bacon becomes lightly golden.

Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent.

Add the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Lightly season the Spinach with salt and cook just until the spinach wilts and reduces in volume.

Lightly Sauté the Turkey.

Make the Béchamel Sauce

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the flour and whisk constantly to form a smooth roux.

Slowly pour in the milk in 2–3 stages, whisking continuously to avoid lumps.

Add a pinch of nutmeg at the end.

Combine the Filling

In a large bowl, combine the bacon-onion mixture, spinach, turkey, and béchamel sauce.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix everything well until the filling is creamy and evenly combined.

Prepare the Yeast Dough

You can use store-bought yeast dough, or make your own from scratch. You can find our homemade yeast dough recipe here: https://youtu.be/tfjhqr_8dXs

Use about two-thirds of the dough for the base and set the remaining one-third aside for decoration.

Roll out the larger portion of the dough and transfer it onto parchment paper.

Shape the Pie

Spread the filling in the center of the dough, forming a neat rectangle.

Trim excess dough if needed.

Add Spinach

Place fresh spinach leaves gently on top of the filling.

Add Decorations

Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into strips.

Create decorative “branches” or patterns and place them on top of the pie.

Fold and seal the edges.

Rest and Brush the Pie

Let the assembled pie rest for about 15 minutes so the dough can rise slightly.

Mix the egg yolk with water and a pinch of sugar.

Brush the entire surface of the pie with the egg wash.

Bake the Pie

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Bake the pie for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is golden and fully baked.

Slice and Serve

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool slightly.

Slice and serve while warm.

The crust should be thin and soft, and the filling juicy and flavorful.

Perfect for a festive holiday table.

Happy Holidays, and if you enjoyed this recipe, feel free to check out our YouTube channel for more family-friendly recipes cooked with joy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwXeQhRyzyn-2XJRxB355Hw