RECIPE MAGIC!

TOURTIERE

TOURTIÈRE WITH OLIVE OIL CRUST

Tourtière can be traced back four centuries. Québécois settlers attended midnight mass on Christmas Eve and celebrated afterwards with réveillon, a late-night feast fit for a king. Religious service or not, the meat pie tradition is practiced throughout Québec and across the country. While everyone has a special family recipe, we love our Montreal Tourtière, made with fatty ground pork alone, with no beef in the mix. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are classic ingredients. Before serving, consider your condiments and sides. Our new Roasted Root Veggie recipe or Pickled Onions are spirited extras. Ketchup is always a sentimental go-to. And we always have a selection of our oils and balsamics to make each mouthful of Tourtière anew!

For the filling:

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds finely ground 100% pork (on the fatty side)
1 large potato, minced or grated
1 large onion, minced or grated
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp dried thyme or savoury
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg

Two 9" pie crusts (see olive oil recipe below or in a pinch use store-bought) 

CONDIMENTS WITH A TWIST:
Maple Dark Balsamic, Cinnamon Pear Dark Balsamic, Rosemary Olive Oil, Wild Mushroom Sage Olive Oil, Cranberry Pear Balsamic, Black Mission Fig Balsamic

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425°.  Combine pork, potatoes, onion, garlic, water and spices in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally until meat is cooked and water and fat are reduced -- about 90 minutes. If the mixture is too runny or thin, sprinkle, then stir in a small amount of flour to thicken.

Cool the mixture. Spoon into the pie crust. Place top crust on the meat mixture and pinch edges to seal. Whisk egg, then brush liberally on top crust.  Cut slits in top crust so steam can escape. Cover edges of pie with strips of aluminum foil.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, remove foil and return to oven. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a selection of infused oils and balsamics then drizzle to taste. OR your favourite ketchup!

For the EVOO crust:

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour 
Pinch of salt 
1⁄2 cup fresh EVOO (mild intensity)
1/4 -1/3 cup cold water (not more than is needed)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl add flour and salt.  Mix with whisk then add olive oil.  Use fork or your fingertips to blend oil and flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy. Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 10-15 minutes before rolling out.