![]() ![]() Let the filling cool as you roll out your pie pastry. Turn off the heat and stir in the mashed potatoes. Mix well and simmer until the liquid has evaporated. Drain off any excess fat.Īdd the poultry seasoning, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and reserved potato water. Mash potatoes and set aside.Īdd onions and garlic to a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté until they have softened.Īdd the ground beef, ground pork, and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Scoop out and reserve 1/2-cup of the starchy potato water and drain the rest. While pastry is chilling, prepare filling.Ĭook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender. Shape into a rough disc, wrap and chill in the refrigerator. Add the ice water a little at a time and mix just until the dough comes together. Cut in butter or lard until mixture is a rough crumbly texture. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the salt. The full and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but here are the illustrated steps for making tourtière: Step 1: Make the Pie Pastry If you can’t find Bells, go ahead and substitute your favorite poultry seasoning. The poultry seasoning that is historically used by many families in New England is Bells Poultry Seasoning and is still made today. In this recipe, I feel the potatoes are essential to help bind the ingredients together. Several accounts suggested that using potatoes was frowned upon because that meant you could not afford meat. Some versions of tourtière are made from only ground or chopped pork, but we have always made it with a mix of pork and beef. Almost every family had a Ma Tante or Mémère (aunt or grandmother) who had a meat pie recipe with a secret ingredient or two. Most recipes include a combination of ground pork and beef, but it is not unusual to include venison or other game meats in the pie. There are many variations of tourtière throughout different regions of Franco-American communities and Canada and even among members of the same family. Tourtière, also known as pork pie or meat pie, is a combination of ground meat, onions, spices, and herbs baked in a traditional piecrust. I remember attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, then returning home to feast on meat pies smothered with a generous amount of ketchup before we were ushered to bed so Santa could deliver presents.Īs the years went by, and family members got older, the tradition of Midnight Mass gave way to Christmas Eve Mass at an earlier hour but the ritual of serving tourtière after Mass continued for many years. The Family Tradition of Tourtière (Meat Pie)Īs our family Christmas traditions continue to evolve over the years, I often think about the old-fashioned customs and foods from my youth. This celebration meal was an adaptation of réveillon de Noël of rural Québec. My family is mostly of French-Canadian descent, and I grew up in a bilingual French and English speaking small town.Īmong the customs passed down from generation to generation is the tradition of serving tourtière for special occasions such as Christmas Eve. They settled, established Franco-American communities, and maintained their culture, language, and religion. Eventually, many French Canadians seeking work and preservation of their customs, language, and way of life relocated to New England towns. ![]() However, the largest immigrant group by far was French-speaking Canadians.Įmployment opportunities at the many saw mills and logging camps drew numerous French Canadians south in several waves during the 19th century. Like most mill towns, employment opportunities summoned immigrants from all over the world including Russia, Scandinavia, and Ireland. Growing up in a Northern New England paper town provided an eclectic upbringing of various nationalities and traditions. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |