How to Bake Tourtiere

Tourtiere is a classic French Canadian dish, inspired by both French and English traditions and infused with local ingredients. Tourtiere is properly spelled with an accent on the first "e." This delicious meal is essentially a meat pie, customarily filled with ground pork. Substitutes may include a combination of chicken, turkey, ground sausage, veal, beef or lamb.

Tourtiere is a best served hot with ketchup or sweet tomato relish. It rarely needs sides. For dinner parties, a double portion is recommended. There are many variations on this dish, but this is my favorite personalized recipe, with my own crust. Otherwise, use double crust.

Things You'll Need

• Round pie plate
• Rolling pin
• Bowl
• Knife, fork, spoon
• Skillet
• Plastic wrap
• Brush
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 onion
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 lb. ground veal
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons cream
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter, either in chopped chilled cubes or melted, and combine with a fork until crumbly. Add milk or substitute cold water. Stir the mixture together until it begins to form a congealed dough.

   Knead the dough 10 to 12 times on a floured surface. Divide it in two balls and wrap with plastic wrap or place in a large plastic bag. Refrigerate for a minimum of one and no more than three hours.

2. Chop the onion and celery. Mince the garlic. Heat a large skillet or pan with a bit of butter and cook the celery and onion first, for about five minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute or two more. Add the ground pork and veal to this mixture and cook until the meat browns.

   Add the chicken stock (prepackaged or homemade), 1/2 teaspoon salt, allspice and thyme. Reduce to low-moderate heat. Cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.

   Remove the pan from heat, stir the ingredients and let cool.

3. Remove the dough and roll out both balls on a floured surface. Each disk should be about an inch wider than the surface of the pie plate. Place the bottom crust in the pie plate and poke with the fork a few times.

   Return to the pan and add the breadcrumbs. Stir them in. Spoon out the mixture into the bottom pie crust. Distribute the contents evenly in the pan by smoothing out the top.

   Add the top crust and pinch the top and bottom crusts together to seal the pie. If there are any areas of raw dough that seem extra long, trim them before pinching the crusts. Carve an X into the top of the pie with a knife.

4. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees (Farenheit) and place the rack close to the bottom of the oven.

   Beat one egg and add cream. Beat again. Dip the brush into this glaze and coat the top crust of the pie completely, including the edges. A thin coat of glaze will do.

   When the oven is hot, bake the pie on the low rack for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the rack to the middle of the oven and reduce the heat to 375 degrees (Farenheit). Bake another 20-30 minutes or until the crust is a golden glazed brown.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes. Serve tourtiere hot with ketchup or sweet tomato relish. Surprisingly, ketchup is a delightful and customary compliment to this meal.

Tips & Warnings

• Traditional recipes call for the addition of one bay leaf to the skillet mixture and sometimes potatoes, nutmeg or other ingredients. For an authentic dish, consult passed-on family recipes. Feel free to play around with the ingredients to your taste.

• Tourtiere is eaten any time of day but at dinner is often accompanied by red wine or strong beer.

• The baking of the pie on two different levels and heats is an important part of the process. The glaze may be skipped, but it makes such a pretty and pleasing pie that it is worth the cream and eggs.

• This is clearly not a dish for vegetarians or vegans. The veal, pork and dairy content may offend some diners on both moral and gastronomic grounds. I have yet to try a vegetarian version of tourtiere. Be sure to warn your guests in advance and provide healthy alternatives if necessary.

Resources

• Introduction to French Canadian Culture