Tuesday 27 November 2012

La "Tourtière" de Carmen...


This is the time of year to prepare the traditional French Canadian spiced meat pie, that is served on Christmas eve (and tested before!!).  The recipe can vary from family to family, but this is the best of course!!  It has become part of my tradition for the past 22 years and it is a dinner I look forward to eating.  The tender cooked meat is lightly spiced with cloves and a touch of cinnamon, wrapped in a short crisp pastry case which brings the spirt of Christmas to the dinner table.  The Tourtiére freezes really well and are perfect to reheat Christmas eve while you are busy relaxing and drinking champagne!  It will cook away slowly in the oven without having to watch over it.   One less job to do...


Pastry for four (five) pies :
1 kg or 7 cups of plain four 
500 g or 1 lb of fat (butter or margarine)
480 ml or two cups of water
two eggs (+1 more egg for the egg wash)
2 teaspoons of vinegar
2 teaspoons of salt
 (there was enough pastry to make an apple pie too! )

Filling for four pies :
800 g or 1 lb 12 oz of minced veal (shoulder)
800 g lb 12 oz of pork (shoulder)
2 sticks of celery finely diced
4 onions finely diced
1.5 teaspoon of ground cloves
1.5 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon of celery salt
1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
2 cloves of garlic


Make you pastry as you usual do, cutting the fat into pea sized pieces. Mix and bring together until smooth - putting into a zip lock with flour in it.  Leave it to rest for an hour in the refrigerator.

Finely dice the onions and the celery.  Cook them on a low heat in a big pan without colouring them for ten minutes.
Add the two meats, cooking and turning without browning.
Add the spices and the crushed garlic.
Cover (just up to the top of the meat) with water, bring to the boil and leave it simmering for an hour.
 (Do not let boil dry - you need a small amount of liquid to go in the pies).

Once the meat has cooled down, make the pies.  
Roll out the pastry in sections, two circles per pie with a larger circle for the base, brushing egg white in the base so the pastry doesn't go soggy. I like to use tinfoil cases but pie tins are good too.
Fill the pies without pressing too heavily down.
Cover the top with the second circle and seal the pastry - more importantly, make a hole in the middle for the steam to escape.
Decorate your pie and brush the top with a mixture of egg yolk and milk (twice the quantity of the yolk).
Cook in the oven at 180 °c / 350° f  for 15 minutes and then turning it down to 150°c / 300° f for an hour.

If eating right away, add 15 more minutes or until golden.  If you want to freeze them, cool them down and freeze putting a foil cover on them - when you are ready to use them, they can go into the oven from frozen at 150° c or 300° f for an hour.

21 comments:

  1. This is my favourite pie. My friend makes one for me for Christmas Eve every year. He is french Canadian and his pie is always such a treat. Yours looks absolutely delicious. We are sitting here waiting for friends to show to go out for dinner and now all I want is this pie for supper.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Chania,
      My favourite too!! Thank you - that made me smile, especially I imagine there is really good seafood in Florida (big favourite for me!) - hope you had a great evening out! Hope you are practising your dancing for the Sunday market...
      All the best, Ivan

      Delete
  2. I have been looking for a 'good' Tourtière recipe and, thanks to Chania, here I am! Will definitely be making and will post the results. Question...the Tourtière I tasted had a very fine grind of meat...is it worth re-grinding my meat?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Jacqueline,
      Pleased to meet you! Happy it is useful - the fineness of the meat is best cut raw so, yes you could - just don't re-grind once cooked (did that along time back and was not good!). I shall pop over to your blog next... if you have any questions please don't hesitate.
      Ivan

      Delete
  3. Soo pretty! You sure know how to make food look good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Terry,
      Thank you, I really enjoyed making them - the smell of spices filled the house which was heavenly!
      Ivan

      Delete
  4. What a beautiful Tourtiere! I have been wanting to make one of these for years and have never gotten around to it. This recipe just sounds so mouthwatering and I especially like the "reheating Christmas Eve" part while sipping champagne! How handy to have extras in the freezer. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hell Janet,
      Happy to help, the thought of the work done and enjoying Christmas eve is a big bonus and it's all preplanned - so stress free! Hope you like it!
      Ivan

      Delete
  5. Thank you so much for your heartfelt wishes. I'm bouncing back, with the help of so many. And, please know, that your recipes look beyond delicious. I love to cook, especially when the recipe promises a certain something I can't describe. Your blog is on my New Year's Resolution list to dive into.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Kittie,
      It comes from my heart and thank you for your kind words. I am very happy you are inspired by my food. Be strong.
      Ivan

      Delete
  6. Those Toutière look delicious! Greetings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,
      Thank you for saying so. Hope you are well.
      Ivan

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. Hello Harriet,
      Sorry but it had to be done!! They smell of the spices fill the kitchen and I know it's the beginning of the festive season... besides you don't need to go on a diet!
      Ivan x

      Delete
  8. Finally a for real meat pie! Like Janet, I've been wanting to make one for years and never did. You've made this pie so inviting. Christmas Eve is for all the kids and present opening. Christmas Day afternoon I have an adult cocktail dinner party because it my birthday. Prime Rib, Creole Oyster Stew, Raw Oysters, Champagne.......and now a for real meat pie!! Thank you so much and Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Jimmy,
      Yes this is as you say, a real meat pie! Thank you, very happy you want to make it and what a big day for you! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
      Ivan

      Delete
    2. I'm sure I will! I've been thinking about this pie all day now....geesh. I actually have the little presses for the leaves! Ha!

      Delete
  9. This IS our favourite dish at Christmas! I usually buy one or two at a shop called 'Bonne Cuisine' in Halifax where we also get (at least for the past few years) our 'Turkey with works' pie!! It is so good.

    But you know what Ivan, this year I will attempt to make this tourtiere. There I said it....no backing out now!! lol I wouldn't even go near trying to replicate their turkey pie....I know my limits in the kitchen.

    And on that topic of trying things, I baked the yoghurt/blueberry cake today......frigged it up badly! I used a non-dairy yoghurt (we don't eat dairy) and I think that is what 'kept it flat' as a pancake! But hey, I don't get easily discouraged....will try again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Jim,
      You must try to make it, I promise it is good. I am so sad the cake didn't turn out perfectly but don't worry I have my Parents visiting and my mother doesn't eat dairy also - so I will make it Saturday (going to Paris tomorrow morning shopping!). Can you have soya? I think you can address the rise with some lemon juice and extra 'magic baking powder' (check date and keep in the freezer) I will e-mail the result to you - there is always a solution, let me test it!!
      Ivan

      Delete
  10. I love learning about Christmas traditions from other countries, especially food ones. I love the look of this pie. Even in a tin foil pie dish it looks fabulous! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Gillian,
      Thank you - you will laugh as the foil plates are from 'Morrisons' supermarket, my mother was on a mission to find the exact ones I usually get in Canada! (think no washing up!) It really is a tasty pie.
      Ivan

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...