Canadian tourtière has a long and rich history, dating back to the 17th century. It is thought to have originated with the French settlers who came to Canada at the time. The pie was originally made with a filling of wild game, such as rabbit or moose, but over time, pork and beef became more popular. Tourtière quickly became a staple of Québécois cuisine, and it is still widely enjoyed there today. It is also popular in other parts of Canada, and is often served at special occasions, such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
In the early days, tourtière was typically made in a cast-iron cauldron. The filling was cooked in the cauldron, and then the pastry was placed over top and sealed. The pie was then baked over an open fire.Today, tourtière is typically made in a pie plate with a pie crust and then baked in the oven.
Tourtière – Canadian Quebecois Meat Pie
Equipment
- Large heavy skillet
- 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground pork
- 1 lb, Ground beef or veal
- 1 large Onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- ½ tsp Dried thyme
- ½ tsp Ground allspice
- ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Ground cloves
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground black pepper
- 1 cup Mashed potatoes
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the crust: Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the filling: In a large skillet, brown the ground pork and beef over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and mashed potatoes and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Assemble the pie: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Pour the filling into the crust. Roll out the remaining dough into a 10-inch circle. Place the dough over the filling, crimping the edges to seal. Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a more authentic flavor, use ground pork and veal in the filling.
- If you don’t have mashed potatoes on hand, you can use 1 cup of cooked potatoes mashed.
- To make a vegetarian tourtière, omit the meat and substitute 1 cup of cooked lentils or beans.
so tasty!