Sausage Gnocchi and Leek Mini Pot Pies

These mini pot pies with Italian sausage, gnocchi, and leek are the perfect comfort food for cold nights. They feel extra special when served with beautifully embossed crusts. 

This post was made possible courtesy of Embossed. All opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Hi there, friends! Now that we have changed the clock back to daylight savings, I can honestly say I dread the next six months. It will soon feel as if I’m living in perpetual darkness. (Welcome to November in New England!) It’s going to be especially depressing on work days. There will be darkness driving to work and darkness coming home. As it is, sunlight is a distant memory by 5:00 pm.

This time of year makes me want to change into warm fuzzy clothes and hibernate as soon as I walk through the door. I’m pretty much living a groundhog’s life but with heat, furniture, indoor plumbing…and chocolate. Wintery days also make me want to seek comfort food, which usually means I’m after all things warm and cozy.

Pot pies are the ultimate comfort foods. They are hearty and always hit the spot. These consist of Italian sausage, tender potato gnocchi, and oniony leeks are no exception. The sausage is savory and salty; the mild gnocchi balances the saltiness; and the leeks add color and mild onion flavor. Serve with a side of salad for a delicious family dinner. Or enjoy it curled up on the couch, wrapped up in a warm blanket, watching TV on a lazy night by yourself or with your other half. 

One of the most irresistible things about pot pies is the flaky and tender pie crust, which satisfies carb cravings. When you add an embossed pattern, an ordinary meal becomes a little fancier.

The beautiful floral patterns on these crusts were created with an embossed rolling pin. It is heirloom quality and comes in several patterns. All rolling pins made by Embossed are carved from 100% high-grade solid beechwood and are 100% food-safe. To boot, they are also BPA and toxin-free. I feel really good using it.

I use homemade pie crusts, but store-bought would work in a pinch. With homemade, you have more control over the thickness of the dough, which is a factor for these pot pies. Some store-bought pie crusts might not be as thick(like the refrigerated ones that come in a box). They will make a thinner-than-ideal crust. If you work them too much, they might lose their flakiness and tenderness.

To apply the pattern,  roll the dough to 3/16-inch (slightly more than 1/8-inch) thick with a standard rolling pin. Once that is completed, use moderate pressure with the embossed rolling pin to apply the pattern. The pie crust is flattened to about 1/8-inch during the process, which is the ideal thickness. 

I prefer to bake these pie crusts on the light side of done because the embossed pattern shows up better. To achieve this, pie shields are used to protect the edges and prevent over-browning. Additionally, rotating the pies during baking prevents hot spots and helps produce even coloring throughout. Instructions on how to make pie shields from aluminum foil are detailed in the recipe card.

Hope to see you back here soon!

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• 10-ounce ramekins—this is a set of 4 needed for the recipe.
• 4-quart skillet—this pan is stainless steel, induction compatible, and oven safe up to 430° F.
• Rolling pin—for flattening out the pie dough into rounds. This is made of acacia.
• Spatula —for cooking the pie filling. This wooden turner is great for breaking up the sausage.
• Embossed rolling pin—for imprinting a design onto the pie dough.
• Baking sheet—this is non stick heavy guage 1-mm aluminized steel and rolled edges to prevent warping.

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Sausage Gnocchi and Leek Mini Pot Pies

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Main Recipe Keys: High Protein C Carbohydrate

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time:1 hour 5 minutesTotal time:1 hour 35 minutesServings:4 Servings

Description

These mini pot pies with Italian sausage, gnocchi, and leek are the perfect comfort food for cold nights. They feel extra special when served with beautifully embossed crusts. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound Italian sausage links, skin removed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups leek, sliced into 1/8-inch thick
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 2 3/4 cups water 
• 4 teaspoons sodium-free chicken bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 rounded teaspoons sugar
• 1 pound package gnocchi
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water for slurry
• Pie crust recipe here or 2 9-inch store-bought pie crusts

Instructions

1. Prior to preparing the filling, make pie dough. Divide into 4 equal portions. Form into 1-inch discs. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside. 
3. Add oil to a preheated 4-quart pan on medium to medium-high heat. Add sausage, breaking into small chunks as it browns, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce to medium-low. Take the pan off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage onto a paper towel-lined plate. Keep just enough fat in the pan to coat the bottom.  
4. Return the pan to heat. Add the leek and garlic. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir halfway through to loosen bits from the bottom of the pan. If the leek or garlic begins to brown, add 2 tablespoons of water.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the water, bouillon, pepper, and sugar. Once the liquid comes to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add the gnocchi. Stir and submerge it in the liquid. Bring the heat back to medium-high. Cover. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer for 2 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry. Add it to the pan and stir until the liquid thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Spoon into four 10-ounce ramekins or oven-safe soup bowls. Allow it to cool slightly while rolling out the pie crusts.
7. Preheat oven to 375° F. 
8. Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator. If it has been refrigerated for a long period of time, it will be firm. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften to a workable consistency. If the dough is 1/8-inch thick or less, form it into a disc and knead to 3/8-inch thickness.
9. Lightly flour a work surface. Place one of the pie crust discs on the work surface. Lightly flour the top. Using a standard rolling pin, roll the dough to 3/16-inch thickness and 1 inch wider than the circumference of the top of the ramekin. 
10. Dust a light coating of flour on both sides of the dough. Switch over to an embossed rolling pin. Start on one edge of the dough and roll across to the opposite edge, applying moderate and even pressure to create an embossed pattern. Lift the dough and place over one of the ramekins. Trim uneven edges. Tuck edges into the sides or crimp as desired. Using a sharp pointed knife, score the pie dough to create air vents. Place ramekins on a large baking sheet.
11. Gently fold down the outer 1-inch edge of the pie shield (see below for instructions on how to make it). Spray the underside with cooking spray. Center the opening over the pie crust. Continue rolling out and applying the remaining pie crusts. 
12. Place the baking sheet with the ramekin in the middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet to 180°. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove foil. Rotate the baking sheet 180° again. Bake for 10 additional minutes or until the edges develop a light golden color. Remove from oven. Serve hot.
13. Makes 4 servings.

Notes

• To prepare leeks, discard the dark green leaves and root ends, slice the base in half vertically, and cut into 1/8-inch slices. Wash and drain well.
• The Italian sausages have ample salt, so there is no need to add salt to this recipe. 
• If using homemade pie crust, make the dough and chill before working on the filling.
• To make a pie shield, cut out 4 rounds of aluminum foil 1 1/2 inches wider than the circumference of the top of the ramekin. Cut out a donut hole 3/4 inch smaller than the diameter of the top of the ramekin. Use the outer rings as the shield.
• More oil might be needed if not using a nonstick pan.
• I don’t recommend swapping out water for chicken broth or stock, even low sodium. It will be too salty.

Keywords:Pot Pie, Savory Pie, Mini Pies, Sausage, Gnocchi

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