French Canadian Tourtiere

shopkeepervicki's Note:

There are almost as many recipes for this traditional French Canadian meat pie as there are French Canadians. I come by this one honestly as my father is of francophone heritage - his ancestors settled in Quebec back in the 1600s. Our family tradition is to serve this on Christmas Eve with beef gravy and petite pois (tiny sweet peas).

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6-8

Yield: 1.0 pie

• ½ lb ground pork
• ½ lb ground beef or ½ lb veal
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups mashed potatoes (approx. 8 med potatoes, no butter or milk added)
• 2 (9 inch) pie crusts , pastry for (can be store bought or homemade)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, mix first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil, simmer and stir until meat loses its pink colour.Continue to simmer 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in mashed potatoes. Cool at least two hours.
3. Press filling in to uncooked pie shell.
4. Place pastry on top of filling, crimp edges to seal. Top crust can be brushed with egg or milk before baking.
5. Cut a hole in the centre, about the size of a dime.
6. Bake at 425 F for 25-35 minutes.
7. Allow to cool and set at least 20 minutes before serving with beef gravy and petite pois (tiny sweet peas). You can also bake only until top is slight browned and then freeze in advance of holidays or for a last-minute meal idea - reheat at 400 F for 15 minutes and then allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[Meggiee]

Haven't tried it yet but it I can taste the flavours of Quebec's granmeres.