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Traditional French Canadian meat pie, Tourtière, with spices and ground meats.

Tourtière

Tourtière is a classic French-Canadian meat pie, hearty and spiced, perfect for serving during the holidays.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Canadian, French
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meat Filling
  • 1 lb Ground pork (or a mix with beef or veal) Can adjust meat combinations for richness
  • 1 medium Onion Finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1 cup Cooked potato Mashed to help bind filling
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon Warm spice
  • 1 tsp Clove Warm spice, use sparingly
  • 1 tsp Allspice Warm spice
  • to taste Salt Always taste before adding to crust
  • to taste Pepper Always taste before adding to crust
  • 1/4 cup Broth or water Splash to help combine ingredients
For the Flaky Pie Crust
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour For the crust
  • 1 cup Cold butter Straight from the fridge
  • 1/4 cup Ice water Add slowly until dough comes together

Method
 

Preparing the Filling
  1. In a pan, cook chopped onion in a little butter until soft. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
  2. Add ground meat and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
  3. Stir in the spices, salt, pepper, and a splash of broth or water.
  4. Add the mashed potato and simmer mixture until it thickens a bit. Make sure it is not watery.
  5. Cool filling before assembling to avoid melting the crust.
Making the Crust
  1. Mix all-purpose flour and cold butter in a bowl until crumbly.
  2. Gradually add ice water and mix until just combined. Wrap dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Roll out one half of the dough for the bottom crust and place it in a pie dish.
Assembling the Tourtière
  1. Fill the bottom crust with the cooled meat filling and pack it gently.
  2. Roll out the second half of the dough for the top crust, cover the filling, crimp the edges, and cut a few vents in the top.
  3. Optional: Brush the top crust with an egg wash for a golden finish.
Baking
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake for about 15 minutes.
  2. Lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
  3. If edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.

Notes

Tourtière can be made ahead and frozen. Assemble the pie, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding extra time.