Tourtière for Christmas

It's great to have one of these in your freezer

ready for a nice Sunday dinner with guests

during the Christmas Season - or any season!

Here is my "go-to" recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork

1/4 lb ground beef

   or – a 60/40 mixture of pork and beef

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. savory

1/4 tsp. celery salt

1/4 tsp. ground clove

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 cup water

2 medium potatoes – cooked, peeled and mashed with a fork

Bread crumbs if needed.

Directions:

Place all ingredients, except potatoes, in a medium sized saucepan.  Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a rolling boil.  Reduce to a simmer and allow mixture to cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add potatoes.  Stir well.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

If mixture is still quite wet, add in some breadcrumbs, 1 – 2 Tbsp. if needed, until the mixture is still moist but not drippy.

Set aside to cool while you roll-out pastry dough.

Flaky Pie Pastry:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cubed

1/2 cup cold lard or vegetable shortening cubed

1/4 cup water (approx.)

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 egg

1 egg yolk

Flaky Pie Pastry: While filling is chilling, in large bowl, whisk flour with salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. In separate bowl, whisk together ice water, sour cream and egg; drizzle over flour mixture, tossing with fork to form ragged dough and adding up to 1 tsp more ice water if necessary.

Divide dough in half; shape into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)

On lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 of the pastry discs to generous 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness; fit into 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate. Trim to fit, leaving 3/4-inch (2 cm) overhang. Scrape filling into pie shell, pressing down lightly to pack. Whisk egg yolk with 1 tsp water; brush some over edge of pastry.

Roll out remaining pastry disc to generous 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness; fit pastry over filling. Trim to fit, leaving 3/4-inch (2 cm) overhang; fold overhang under and fluted edge. Cut decorative shapes from pastry scraps (Note - I cut out the steam vents and holes before placing the top onto the filled pie). Brush some of the remaining egg yolk mixture over pastry; arrange shapes over top. Brush top all over with some of the remaining egg mixture; cut steam vents in top.

Freeze until ready to use or bake immediately. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight before baking.

Bake on rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack of 375F (190C) oven until filling is bubbly and bottom is golden, loosely covering with foil if top is browning too quickly, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.

This tourtiere was shared for Sunday dinner today following the children's

Christmas Program at church.

Our hearts were bursting as we watched our little love perform

the Christmas Story Animals song

"Baby Jesus, We Love You"

along with her Sunday School classmates.

The donkey ears didn't want to 

stay on so her wise mommy

quickly changed her into another

kind of donkey ... with long floppy ears.

Till next time ...... enjoying the sights, sounds, and tastes of this delightful season!