Neighborhood Eats: The Little Food Cafe in Bayonne

BAYONNE, N.J. (WABC) -- In this edition of Neighborhood Eats, we've got a recipe you'll want to save for when you have Thanksgiving leftovers.

It comes from The Little Food Cafe, located at 330 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Cynthia van Decker is mighty fond of her daughter's cooking. Lisa Kushnir went to culinary school, and in 2001, the two decided to go into business together. So they opened the Little Food Cafe in the town where Kushnir lives.

"We're not a restaurant, we're not a cafe, we're not a deli," she said. "We just filled a niche here."

She describes it as comfort food, from a turkey dinner wrap to daily soups for lunch, to heartier fare for dinner. The turkey pot pie is on the menu for fall.

Kushnir begins by adding roasted vegetables to a chicken stock that's been thickened with flour, butter and onions. She adds in the freshly roasted turkey, letting it simmer, and then puts it into a baking tin. A puff pastry goes on top.

It goes in the oven for 30 minutes, and then its golden brown. You'll want to break into that pastry, but save room for the desserts by their French pastry chef.

There are lots of orders to go, but some customers stay as well, much to the delight of the mother/daughter team behind the Little Food Cafe.

Home Made Turkey Pot Pie (serves 4)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups roasted coin shaped carrots

1 1/2 cups roasted cubed butternut squash

1 1/2 cups roasted cubed sweet potatoes

1 1/2 cups roasted red potatoes

Prep - Coat these veggies in olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees until tender.

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup peas

1 cup chopped onions, diced small

4 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

Prepare puff pastry sheets by cutting puff pastry 1 inch bigger in circumference to size of container.

Instructions

Melt butter in saucepan, add onion and cook for 4 minutes. Then add mushroom, stir in flour and cook for 2 min. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Then add roasted vegetables, shredded turkey, peas, salt and pepper to taste.

Evenly distribute into individual oven-proof containers. Top with puff pastry (do not roll) and place on top. Crimp edges. Brush pastry with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees until browned, approximately 30 minutes.