The traditional pork pie served on Christmas Eve in French Canadian homes.... has a delicious flavour that others shouldn't miss. It is not unlike the savoury meat pies of Scotland. Great served with a hot chili sauce or mustard pickle, or any tangy chutney...
Tourtiere
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 midium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper, thyme, savoury or sage (I sometimes use Herbes de Province)
1 small bay leaf (discard after cooking)
In saucepan, cook pork just until it loses its pink colour, stirring with a fork. If meat is very fatty, drain off a little of the fat.
Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or tul most of the liquid is absorbed but mixture is still very moist.
Cool a few minutes. Line a 10 inch (or deep 9 inch) pie plate with pastry, fill with meat mixture, and cover with top crust; seal edges and cut a few slits in top. For a shiny crust, brush with slightly beaten egg (if making pastry at same time, reseve a little of the egg.) Bake in 425 F. oven until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges.
Pastry
This easy pastry is always rich, tender and flaky. It's good for everything from Tourtiere and Quiche to Mince pies and Butter Tarts.
5 cups all purpose flour
1 TBSP salt
1 pound lard
1 egg
1 TBSP vinegar
cold water
Combine flour and salt. Cut in lard until mixture looks like coarse meal.
In measuring cup, beat egg and vinegar with a fork; add cold water to make 1 cup liquid. Gradually add just enough liquid to make dough cling together, mixing with a fork. Press into a ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
Will keep up to 3 weeks. Makes 6 pie shells or 3 double crusts... or....as Mom wrote on the recipe... "lots" of tarts... lol...
Allow to soften a bit at room temperature before rolling.
