Tourtière (French Canadian Meat Pie)
Few dishes capture the warmth of French-Canadian cuisine quite like the iconic Tourtière – a savory meat pie with a flaky double-crust and a richly spiced meat filling. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving a cozy homemade meal, this rustic recipe is sure to impress. I’ll guide you through the authentic preparation of Tourtière, along with some tips for success. Extra points if you make your pie crust from scratch! When I lived in Canada, one of the most common questions I was asked was, ‘Do you…
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- For the crust:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup or 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, cubed and cold
- 7 to 8 tbsp ice-cold water
- For the filling:
- 1 large potato (about 300g), peeled and cut in large chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup (50g) celery, diced
- 1/3 cup (50g) carrot diced
- 1.1 lb (500g) ground pork
- 1.1 lb (500g)ground beef
- For the spice blend:
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp Herbs de Provence
- For the eggwash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp (15ml) milk
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the crust. In a large bowl or in a food processor, mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough roughly comes together into a ball; do not overmix. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly/dry. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. Fill a small pot with cold water and add potato and 1 tsp salt. Bring the water to a bowl, and boil for 10-13 minutes until the potato is fork tender. Reserve 3/4 cup of the potato water in a small bowl. Drain potato and roughly mash with a fork. Set aside.
- 3
In a large frying pan, heat up the butter and olive oil over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- 4
Add the spice blend, and stir to coat the vegetables evenly. Cook for 30 seconds.
- 5
Add the ground beef and ground pork. Use the tip of large wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat in small pieces. Add the ¾ cup of the potato cooking water and stir. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any clumps of ground meat. After 30 minutes, remove lid and cook for 15 additional minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Stir in mashed potatoes, turn off heat, and let cool to room temperature.
- 6
Line a deep 9-inch (23cm) pie dish with parchment paper (cover bottom and sides).
- 7
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C)
- 8
Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, one just slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger dough to a 12-inch (31cm) circle and place it in the pie dish. Don’t worry about the edges that hang over the dish.
- 9
Roll out the smaller dough to a 9-inch (23cm) circle. With the tip of a sharp knife, score a 1-inch (2.5cm) circle in the center of the pastry lid, for the steam to escape from while baking. Set aside.
- 10
Assemble the pie. Fill the bottom crust with the meat filling, and smooth out the surface with the back of a spoon. With your fingers, dab some water over the edges of the bottom crust. Cover the filling with the top crust. Press the edges together tightly to seal – removing any trapped air as you do so. Roll up the hanging pastry sheet edges together towards the center to create a thick, well-bound outer rim.
- 11
Whisk together the milk and the egg yolk, and brush it atop the pie.
- 12
Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is golden. Transfer onto a cooling rack and let the pie rest for at least 20-30 minutes before serving.