Canadian Tourtière

[Shawn]

Originally posted by NancyG in June 2003 WFD

Canadian Tourtière

Yield: 2 tourtières

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 lbs ground pork
• 2 lbs ground veal
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the pastry:

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb. cold lard, cubed
• Ice water
• 1 egg, beaten
• Milk

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat vegetable oil and sauté onion. Add meat and water and cook thoroughly. Remove from stove and stir in sage. Season with salt and pepper. Cool mixture.

2. Preheat oven to 375° F.

3. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Blend in lard with a pastry cutter, or pulse with flour and salt in food processor until lard is reduced to pea-sized lumps. Gradually blend in the minimum amount of ice water (10-12 tablespoons) to allow flour and lard to just hold together. Turn dough onto floured board, shape into a ball and divide into four.

4. Roll out one bottom shell and place in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Fill with cooled meat. Roll out a top shell. Place over filled bottom crust and crimp edges. Decorate top with pastry cutouts, if desired. Cut three slits in top crust for venting. Brush top with wash of beaten egg combined with milk. Repeat for second pie.

5. Place tourtières in oven and bake for about 1 hour or until filling is hot and crusts are golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Served with:
Mashed Potatoes,
Candied Carrots
and a Mandarin-lime side salad.