HOLIDAYROLLOUT

Holiday Rollout

This meat pie is a French-Canadian tradition. Once you try our version, you’ll want to make it a seasonal staple in your home, as well.

BY THE TEST KITCHEN

TESTED TILL PERFECT

This recipe first appeared in our 1993 Christmas cookbook.

Réveillon Tourtière

Hands-on time: 40 minutes Total time: 3½ hours Makes: 8 to 10 servings

When it’s time for réveillon (a special feast on Christmas Eve in Quebec), this is the pie that welcomes everyone to the table. The super-flaky crust is loaded to the brim with a subtly seasoned meat filling.

Filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil 900 g ground pork 1½ cups sodium-reduced beef broth 3 small onions, finely chopped 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 cup finely chopped celery 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp salt ½ tsp each cinnamon, pepper and dried savory ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 cup fresh bread crumbs ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Flaky Pie Pastry:

2½ cups all-purpose flour ¾ tsp salt ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed ½ cup cold lard or vegetable shortening, cubed ¼ cup ice water (approx) 3 tbsp sour cream 1 egg 1 egg yolk

Filling: In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook pork, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain fat.

Stir in broth, onions, mushrooms, celery, garlic, salt, cinnamon, pepper, savory and cloves; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until 2 tbsp liquid remains, about 35 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)

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 ⅛-inch (3 mm) thickness; fit into 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate. Trim to fit, leaving ¾-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 ⅛-inch (3 mm) thickness; fit pastry over filling. Trim to fit, leaving ¾-inch (2 cm) overhang; fold overhang under and flute edge. Cut decorative shapes from pastry scraps. Brush some of the remaining egg mixture over pastry; arrange shapes over top. Brush top all over with some of the remaining egg mixture; cut steam vents in top. Bake on rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack of 375°F (190°C) oven until filling is bubbly and bottom is golden, loosely covering with foil if top is browning too quickly, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.

PER EACH OF 10 SERVINGS: about 405 cal, 23 g pro, 23 g total fat (9 g sat. fat), 25 g carb (2 g dietary fibre, 2 g sugar), 111 mg chol, 572 mg sodium, 435 mg potassium. % RDI: 5% calcium, 21% iron, 12% vit A, 10% vit C, 29% folate.