This holiday season calls for a traditional tourtière. Notes of cinnamon and clove create a deeply savoury, comforting bite that evokes the warmth of the season. Serve it with cranberry ketchup, tangy pickles or a touch of mustard to cut through the richness.

A large slice taken out of a Holiday Tourtiere with Puffed Pastry baked pie with meat filling showing.

Easy Holiday Tourtière With Puff Pastry

Chef Sous Chef

A simplified French-Canadian meat pie made with buttery puff pastry instead of traditional pie dough. A richly spiced filling, with tender potatoes helping to keep the meat perfectly moist.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp cooking oil
2 lb mixed ground beef, pork and veal
1 large onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small russet potato peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp dried thyme
1 cup beef stock
2 sheets puff pastry thawed
1 egg + 1 tbsp milk beaten together for egg wash

Instructions

Heat deep skillet over medium and drizzle with oil. Add meat and cook, breaking it apart, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat, then return pan to medium heat and stir in onion, garlic and potato. Season with salt, mustard, cinnamon, cloves and thyme, and cook until onions soften, about 5 minutes.
Pour in beef stock, bring to a boil while scraping up any browned bits, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is mostly absorbed and potatoes have softened, about 20 minutes. Let filling cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Roll out pastry into an 11-in (28-cm) square on a lightly floured surface. Carefully transfer dough to pie dish, draping it so it tucks neatly into bottom edge of dish. Gently press along bottom and sides of dish and cut away any excess hanging over edge.
Dock the base by using a fork to make several holes, then line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights if using a deep dish. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Press down any puffs with spatula immediately after removing from oven.
Allow crust to cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then add cooled tourtière filling, mounding it in the centre.
Roll out second pastry sheet into an 11-in (28-cm) square on a floured surface. Score a decorative pattern into crust, being careful not to cut all the way through. Carefully transfer pastry to top of tourtière and cut away excess. Crimp edges of dough to pastry base or tuck them around it. Cut a few slits in the pie to allow steam to escape.
Brush entire surface of pie with egg wash. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until filling is hot and crust golden brown. Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.