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Canadian Pork Pie

Susan Reid | May 19, 2020

This hearty pie is a staple in French Canadian households, where it’s called Tortièrre. While it’s certainly the centerpiece of any supper table, leftovers are especially good next to some scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Level
Intermediate
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
45 minutes
Serves
8
Canadian Pork Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Filling
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds ground pork, turkey, or chicken
  • 1 ½ cups peeled russet potatoes, diced or grated
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ - ¾ cup water
  • 1 bay leaf
Hot Water Pastry
  • 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted beef suet, or lard
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Directions

  1. For the filling, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and when it shimmers, add the ground meat, potatoes, onion, oats, salt, pepper, allspice, and cinnamon. Stir well and add the water and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through, the potatoes are tender, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and cool to room temperature.
  2. For the pastry, whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl; create a well in the center. Bring the water and fat to a boil in a saucepan, and pour into the well in the flour mixture. Stir together until the mixture is evenly moistened. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes, until it’s cool enough to handle comfortably (about the same temperature as a towel warm from the dryer).
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  4. To assemble, take ⅓ of the dough and set it aside, covered. Roll the remaining dough to a circle that’s 13” to 14” in diameter. Grease a 10.25” skillet and drape the dough into it, gently tucking it down into the corners and leaving ½” draped over the top edge of the skillet.
  5. Fill the lined skillet with the cooled filling, smoothing the top to be flat.
  6. Roll the remaining third of the dough to a 11” circle. Using a 10” plate as a template, trim the dough to be an even circle. Use a cutter to make vents in the circle of dough in a decorative pattern. 
  7. Transfer the circle to the top of the pie. Tuck the overhanging edges of the bottom crust over the edge of the circle and crimp to seal. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling through the vents. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing to serve hot.
Skillet and Egg Logo
Skillet and Egg Logo
Contributed By: Susan Reid

Chef Susan Reid is the food editor of Sift Magazine, a baking publication by King Arthur Baking Company. In her spare time, Susan shares some of her recipes on her blog, The Well Plated Life

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