My Mum’s Tourtiere recipe- Just in time for Christmas!!

A friend of mine was asking around on Facebook about where to buy a Tourtiere in Toronto.
I was instantly transported to the Christmas Eves of my childhood, when we always had this traditional dish for dinner. I wonder if this was an ode to my grandparents, who met on Christmas Eve in Three Rivers, Quebec during World War Two (as we are not even remotely French Canadian)

I asked my mum to pass on the recipe for me to pass on to all of you.

Tourtiere Makes 10 – 12 servings

2 lbs. ground pork 1 sprig celery leaves
½ lb. ground veal (or beef) 1 large onion chopped
1 ½ cups hot water ½ tsp. allspice
1 ½ tsp. salt dash ground cloves
¼ tsp. pepper 1 large potato (peeled)

Pastry for 2 x 2 crust 9” pies

Combine all ingredients except potato in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the whole potato and continue cooking gently for 1 hour. (Potato will absorb excess fat). Lift out and discard potato and celery leaves. Cook meat mixture – it should be thick but still moist.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line two 9 “ pie plates with pastry, fill with meat mixture and top with pastry lid. Seal the pastry edges well and flute. Cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape. If desired brush tops of pies with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a little water).
Bake pies for about 1 hour or until pastry is well browned. Serve hot and enjoy!