Christmas Eve Meat Pie Food

FAVORITE FRENCH CANADIAN MEAT PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the pork, beef, veal, potatoes and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the garlic, seasonings and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently., Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in bread crumbs. Combine egg and remaining water; stir into meat mixture. , Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Fill with meat mixture. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Cover edges loosely with foil., Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil. Reduce heat to 375°; bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

CHRISTMAS EVE MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add beef and pork; cook 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Drain., Stir tomato sauce and seasonings into meat mixture. Stir in spinach and potatoes. Remove from heat., Unroll one pastry sheet into a 9-in. pie plate; trim even with rim. Add filling. Unroll remaining pastry; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Bake 10 minutes., Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake 45-55 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cover edge loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes if needed to prevent overbrowning.

TOURTIERE (FRENCH CANADIAN MEAT PIE)

Steps:

• Place flour, salt, and frozen butter slices into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until butter is about the size of peas, about 30 seconds. Stir vinegar into cold water; drizzle water/vinegar into the flour mixture. Pulse on and off until mixture is crumbly and holds together when you pinch a piece off, about 10 seconds. If dough isn't pressing together, drizzle in another teaspoon of water.
• Transfer mixture to a work surface. Press it together until it becomes a lump of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
• Mix salt, pepper, thyme, sage, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mustard, clove, and cayenne together in a small bowl.
• Place potato quarters in a saucepan; cover with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Scoop out potatoes and transfer to a bowl; save cooking liquid. Mash potatoes with a potato masher.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onions turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir garlic, celery, and spice blend into the skillet with onions. Stir until onion mixture is evenly coated with the spices, about 30 seconds. Add ground beef and ground pork. Ladle about 3/4 cup of the potato cooking liquid into the skillet.
• Cook and stir until meat is browned and has a very fine, almost pastelike texture. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes. Stir in mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Divide chilled dough into 2 pieces, one just slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece out into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. Place in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Roll top crust out into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
• Fill bottom crust with the meat mixture; smooth out the surface. Whisk egg and water together to make egg wash. Brush edges of the bottom crust with egg wash. Place top crust on the pie and press lightly around the edges to seal. Trim excess dough from the crust. Crimp the edges of the crust. Brush entire surface of the pie with egg wash.
• Place in preheated oven. Bake until well browned, about 1 hour. Let cool to almost room temperature before serving.

NEW YEAR'S EVE MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Lightly brush a 12" cast-iron skillet with oil. Mix beef, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander in a large bowl until just combined. Set aside until ready to use.
• Roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 15" square. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin, then unfurl into prepared pan. Gently lift and settle dough into pan. Chill until ready to use. Flour a large piece of parchment and roll out remaining sheet of puff pastry to a 12" square. Chill until ready to use.
• Whisk egg and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Fill dough in pan with meat mixture. Brush edges of dough with egg wash; reserve any remaining egg wash. Place remaining dough over meat mixture, pressing edges of dough together. Trim, leaving a 1" overhang. Do not throw away any trimmed dough; you can use it to make leaf, polka dot, or stripe decorations on top of the pie.
• Fold dough about 1/2" over itself and crimp decoratively. Using the tip of a knife, cut 10-12 round vents about 1" in diameter on top of pie. If you cut out any shapes from your leftover trimmings, place them on top as well. Chill pie at least 1 hour and up to 2.
• Place a sheet tray on oven rack, then place rack on bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Brush entire pie with reserved egg wash and place onto preheated sheet tray. Bake pie, turning halfway through, until meat is cooked through and crust is well browned, 70-80 minutes. Let cool 30-40 minutes before slicing.

CHRISTMAS EVE PORK PIE

Steps:

• Cut up potatoes, cook in boiling water to cover for 20 minutes.
• Drain; mash.
• In a large skillet, brown pork, drain off all fat.
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients except potatoes.
• Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in potatoes, cool.
• Roll half the pastry into 12 inch circle.
• Line a 9 inch pie plate.
• Trim even with rim.
• Fill with meat mixture.
• Roll out remaining dough, slit.
• Place atop filling, trim to 1/2 inch beyond rim.
• Seal and flute.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

CHRISTMAS MEAT PIE - COOK AHEAD AND FREEZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp oil and the butter in a frying pan, then add the onion and fry for 5 mins until softened. Cool slightly. Tip the sausagemeat, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, apricots, chestnuts and thyme into a bowl. Add the onion and cranberries, and mix everything together with your hands, adding plenty of pepper and a little salt.
• Cut each chicken breast into three fillets lengthwise and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, and fry the chicken fillets quickly until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
• Roll out two-thirds of the pastry to line a 20-23cm springform or deep loose-based tart tin. Press in half the sausage mix and spread to level. Then add the chicken pieces in one layer and cover with the rest of the sausage. Press down lightly.
• Roll out the remaining pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Pinch the edges to seal, then trim. Brush the top of the pie with egg, then roll out the trimmings to make holly leaf shapes and berries. Decorate the pie and brush again with egg.
• Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 mins, then cool in the tin for 15 minutes Remove and leave to cool completely. Serve with a winter salad and pickles.