Aunt Diane’s Tourtiere

Tourtiere, or meat pie in English, like its other Quebec counterpart Poutine, has been known to have be made in hundreds of ways, ranging from chicken tourtiere (which confounds me), to the traditional pork and veal that I am familiar with, to the countless other regional variations. Many French Canadian homes that I’ve been in have a tourtiere recipe, hand written on a yellow, stained index card that has been handed down for generations like a family heirloom. I can’t say for sure if it’s a French Canadian tradition, but like many other Quebeckers I was raised to eat every dinner that’s served in a pastry shell with large dollops of ketchup. Don’t knock it till you try it. This particular recipe was given to me by my mom from my Aunt Diane.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb ground pork

1 1/2 lb ground veal

1 1/2 cups boiling water

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 small onions, chopped

3 small potatoes, cooked and grated

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp allspice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown meat, onions or garlic in dutch open or large pot, without adding fat

2. Add boiling water, potatoes, seasoning

3. Cover and cook over low heat – 1 hour. Stir frequently.

4. Check seasoning. Add more if necessary.

5. Let cool completely and remove excess fat

6. Fill pie crust with cool mixture and cover with top crust. Seal crust sides and make slits on top.

7. Brush with 1 beaten egg yolk and 1/2 cup milk.

8. Bake 375 degrees F for 45 minutes