Discover the Québec “Tourtières”, an ancestral meat pie dish, with this recipe.
To smell and taste the distinct flavour of the Québec traditional "tourtières" (meat pies) is something that will bring all Québécois expatriated in the world back home with many memories. What comes to my mind is always a white Christmas, my family and our traditional holiday buffets that always included meat pies. Every family and region has its speciality and recipe, and this one is inspired by both sides of my family. Like most of Québec's traditional home cuisine, it’s nothing fancy, but it is very comforting. I make this recipe each winter, keeping one of the two pies in the freezer so we can enjoy warming it on the “Barbie” around Christmas Eve or New Year. To know the story behind this and more about the French Canadian tourtières pies, read « Tourtières » in Summertime.
Single Québec-style meat pies • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2018
When I did this photo session a few years ago with single pies (how Aussies usually like them), I had to keep an eye on my lovely husband… But once the shoot was finished, I let him taste it and he told me: “that’s the best pie I’ve ever had in my life”.
Yes!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS (filling for two family-sized pies or 12 single pies of 9cm):
4 medium potatoes, peeled, diced into small cubes and boiled
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
500g lean pork mince
500g lean beef (or veal) mince
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp ground clove
¼ tsp nutmeg
Pinch of herbs (mix of thyme, rosemary, oregano and savory)
Salt (or try with a pinch of Salted Preserved Herbs if you have any)
Pinch of pepper
4 pie dough disks (go to the Crust for all pies basic recipe)
1 beaten egg mixed with a bit of milk (to golden the crust)
PREPARATION: Prepare dough first steps while cooking the meat pie filling.
In a large saucepan, brown onions in oil.
Add garlic, meat and seasoning.
Mix well and stir until the meat is mostly browned.
Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and let the mixture cool down a little.
Add the cooked potatoes, mix well and fill into pie disks.
Use your favourite homemade pie crust method, or go to the Crust for all pies basic recipe for assembly and cooking instructions.*
Serve with tomato sauce (ketchup) if you like.
*If cooked on the BBQ, use aluminium disposable plates and place on the grill for about 30 minutes on medium heat, covered, until the crust is golden.
