What is Tourtière?
Tourtière is a traditional French-Canadian dish, also known as “Ragout de tourtière” or simply “tourtière”. It’s a hearty meat pie filled with a rich mixture of ground pork, beef, and vegetables. The filling is similar to a sausage stuffing, but without the casings. The dish originated in Quebec, Canada, and is often served during the winter holidays, especially at Christmas time.
Recipe:
Tourtière Filling (Ragout)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
Tourtière Pastry
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup ice water
Instructions:
- Make the filling: In a large skillet, cook the ground pork and beef over medium heat until browned, breaking up with a spoon as needed.
- Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, mixed vegetables, thyme, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the flour and butter until well combined. Set aside.
Make the pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour and cold butter. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add the ice water, stirring with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball.
Divide the dough into 2-3 equal portions, depending on how thick you like your pastry.
Assemble and bake:
- Roll out one portion of pastry to a thickness of about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Spoon the filling onto one half of the pastry, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border around the edges.
- Brush the edges with water, then fold the other half of the pastry over the filling and press gently to seal.
- Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers to create a decorative border.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the tourtières on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between each pie.
Brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg or water, then bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.
Tips and Variations:
- Traditionally, tourtière is baked in a wood-fired oven, which gives it a unique flavor. If you have access to an outdoor oven or a wood-fired stove, feel free to use it!
- You can also add other ingredients to the filling, such as diced potatoes, chopped bell peppers, or grated cheddar cheese.
- To make individual tourtières, simply divide the dough and filling into smaller portions and assemble accordingly.
Enjoy your delicious homemade Tourtière!
Text model: llama3
Image model: ProtoVisionXL
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