Parts of pig used: 1.5 pounds ground pork

Remember the nursery rhyme about four-and-twenty blackbirds flying out of a pie? It actually used to happen—in the 16th century, cooks would bake immense pie shells, cut a hole in the bottom and stuff the inside with birds, animals, or…and this is completely true…midgets. To everyone’s delight, the sneaky filling would suddenly pop out of the pie and flutter, hobble or dance around on the table. Wheeeee! Think of it as a precursor to strippers popping out of cakes.

Most cultures, it turns out, as far back as the Egyptians have had some sort of pie-like pastry filled with meats, fruits…or, uh, people that they claimed for their own. The Greeks and Romans wrapped the dough around meat. The French, of course, elevated pies to an art, creating elaborate showpieces, and the British, well, they’re responsible for the midgets. Americans have mostly eschewed meat pies in favor of fruit-filled pies—though in pioneer times, more savory pies served as a utilitarian way to stretch meat supplies and incorporate potatoes and vegetables into a single dish.

In Canada, apparently meat pies are still popular, a sort of portable everyman’s dish ranging from beef and kidney, curry, chicken pot pie, or (a family favorite) Shepherd’s pie. In fact, my mom and dad, who recently moved to Calgary, are absolutely nuts over these nifty little single-serving pies made by a local baker, Simple Simon Pies. Apparently my dad gets his ration of Shepherd’s and Mincemeat each week from the farm market.

One of the most popular French Canadian pies is the Tourtiere, a meat pie made with pork (and sometimes beef, too) spices, onions, potatoes, raisins and other goodies. Don’t puke…it’s actually really good, if you do it right. Think spicy pig in a blanket, alright? You can do that.

After searching around for recipes, I came up with one that’s got a good mix of savory and sweet, with a cream cheese crust .The best part: I make individual pies in muffin tins so you can take them to school or work. If you’re not into the meat pie part, you can fill these with quiche, ham and cheese, or just about anything—uh, except midgets.

Meat Pie, or Tourtiere

Prepare cream cheese crust in advance (up to one day). This is the most amazing recipe EVER from The Pie and Pastry Bible. It’s a little complicated, but makes a flaky, delicious crust.

Meat Pie Filling

1.5 pounds ground pork
1 large potato (boiled and mashed)
1 large onion, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground gloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg (for pastry brushing)

Boil (about 15 minutes until tender) and mash the potato. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of your ingredients. Place everything in a large frying pan (sausage, spices, mashed potatoes, etc.) and simmer slowly for 45 minutes to an hour until thick. Test seasoning and add more spice, if necessary.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut and roll pastry to fit into well-greased muffin tins. I like to ruffle the edges a bit. Fill with about 2 tbsp. of filling. Reserve a bit of pastry for the top. I roll it out and cut leaf shapes, then place it gently on top. Brush with beaten egg and cook for about 50 minutes, watching closely to prevent burn crust. Let cool, but serve warm with chutney.

Comments (5) |print-friendly recipe

tell a friend about this recipe