Tourtière is a traditional French Canadian meat pie that is typically enjoyed during the holiday season, particularly around Christmas and New Year’s. It’s made with a savory filling of minced or ground meat, such as pork, beef, or veal, often combined with potatoes and seasoned with a blend of spices. The filling is encased in a flaky pie crust. Here’s a recipe to make Tourtière:

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

• 1 pound ground pork (or a mix of pork, beef, and veal)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 medium potato, peeled and finely diced

• 1/2 cup water or beef broth

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

For the Pastry:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 4-5 tablespoons ice water

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Filling:

   • In a large skillet, cook the ground pork over medium heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.

   • Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

   • Stir in the diced potato, water or beef broth, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, thyme, and bay leaf.

   • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally.

   • Remove the bay leaf and let the filling cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare the Pastry:

   • In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

   • Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix.

   • Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Assemble the Pie:

   • Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

   • On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer the dough to the pie dish and trim any excess.

   • Fill the pie crust with the cooled meat filling.

   • Roll out the second disk of dough and place it over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges to seal. Cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

   • Brush the top crust with the beaten egg.

4. Bake:

   • Bake the tourtière in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

   • Let the pie cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips:

• You can make the filling a day ahead to let the flavors meld and save time on the day of baking.

• Serve the tourtière with ketchup, homemade relish, or a side salad.

Tourtière is a comforting and hearty dish that brings together rich, aromatic flavors in a flaky pastry, making it a cherished part of French Canadian culinary tradition. Enjoy!