Tourtiere, eh

by Elizabeth Kelly

On the menu this week was a Quebec style Tourtiere. I made it without salt, and for a first try, it wasn't bad, especially if you are used to no salt.

I love meat pies, beef or chicken, but haven't really tried to create any yet. I have worked a bit on a which sauce, more perfecting my technique than flavours. This pie doesn't have a sauce or gravy This is a much denser pie, crammed with items you would find in your pantry or fridge. It has flavour potential in both the pastry and the filling. As I ate my first pie for dinner, I kept thinking maple syrup.

The recipe I followed used ground pork which to my mind is more versatile than beef or chicken when it comes to flavour pairings.

It is an easy dish to prepare for a home cook, despite the number of ingredients, and I recommend giving it a try. You can use store bought pie shells, just use the 2nd shell for the top crust. All the vegetables can go in the food processor so there is minimal chopping, and cooking the filling only takes about 15 minutes.

For me it is comfort food. I made 5" pies and froze them, to enjoy later. It will take a while to cook them from frozen but what could be easier on a lazy Sunday afternoon than popping one in the oven, making a cup of tea, grabbing your book and reading until the timer goes off, other than maybe opening the bag 'o salad to go with it.