Tourtière is the dish Quebec families bring out for the holidays, and the crust is where the old recipes win. A pastry made with pure lard bakes up flakier and more tender than butter or shortening, which is why grandmothers kept a jar of lard by the stove.
Ingredients
Lard pastry (one double-crust pie)
- 625 ml (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 5 ml (1 tsp) salt
- 250 ml (1 cup) cold pure lard, cut in cubes
- About 125 ml (1/2 cup) ice water
Filling
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) lard
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 750 g (1 1/2 lb) ground pork (or half pork, half veal)
- 1 small potato, grated
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) water or beef broth
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) each cinnamon and ground cloves
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) allspice, salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Make the pastry. Whisk flour and salt. Cut in the cold lard until the pieces are pea-sized. Add ice water a little at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just holds together. Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap and chill 30 minutes.
- Cook the filling. Melt the lard in a wide pan, soften the onion and garlic, then add the pork and brown it, breaking it up. Add the grated potato, water, spices, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture holds together. Cool.
- Assemble. Heat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Roll one disc and line a 23 cm (9 inch) pie plate. Fill, top with the second crust, seal and crimp the edges, cut a few vents and brush with milk or egg.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Tourtière freezes well, baked or unbaked. For the pastry, the fat must be cold and the water icy; that is the whole secret. We use our own Premium Pure Lard, one ingredient, rendered from Canadian pork.
From Rise Nutrition
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Pure lard from Canadian pork. Ships from Canada · Free shipping over $45 · 30-day money-back.
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