Friday 14 December 2007

Tourtière

Christmas is a time for enjoying family traditions, whether it be a Christmas party, dressing up for church, or a special dish. My dad's family is Swedish so we always have pickled herring and cil salad (fish salad with beets and eggs). But for those of you who aren't overly fond of fish dishes I'm posting a recipe from my mom's family, the French side, the decadent Tourtière.

The picture here shows a slice of Tourtière, this is a picture I got from the web, maybe my mom or grandma will send me a picture of theirs so I can post that (hint! hint!)

All reference I've found to this dish indicate that this is a French-Canadian dish. I have no Quebeçois ties (that I know of), but somehow this dish made its way to our family dinner table a long time ago. Here is my great-great grandmother's recipe:

French Meat Pie (or, Tourtière):

Mix crust as usual (my family uses the Tenderflake recipe). Instead of using water for moisture use sour milk and soda: to one level cup sour milk use 1 level tsp soda and mix well. This will do for a lot of pie crust, about 4 pork pies.

Filling:
  • 3 lbs leg of pork, lean and ground
  • 2 cups water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large onions, diced

Bring to a boil then add:

  • 2 cups mashed potatoes, mix well and add
  • ½ tsp ground allspice

If too thick add more water. Do not cook much as ingredients will bake in pie. Seal pie well so it won't run over. Roll out dough and put in pie pan, fill with meat filling. Add top crust with small hole in centre. Brush with milk and bake in 400º oven. Bake until brown. Put out to freeze. When warmed put in oven to heat well.

This is my grandma's recipe, basically word for word - it looks like she used to put the pies outside to freeze. My mom told me of this one time that she was at our family cabin making fruit pies. She used to cook over a hot wood stove at the height of summer. In the kitchen of the cabin was a screened in window with ledges where she would put pies to cool. One day the pies smelled so good a bear decided to come down and try to get one! Well, she wouldn't stand for that! She grabbed her mop and started yelling at the bear and pushing the mop into its face! That's one gutsy French lady! I can't remember, but I think she saved her pies. (Mom and grandma, if you have anything to add or correct here, please do!)

Enjoy! And think of my grandma while you do.....she would be happy.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
XO