Friday, January 21, 2011

Savory Pies~

At Christmas..I make several Tourtières.. so we can eat one at Christmas..and then during the year Jacques has a last minute dinner..



This year I was happy to use the little cutters I bought in Florida at W-S(I love that store!).. You just roll out the pastry and cut..
My recipe for tourtiere is Jehane Benoit's..an old old recipe..

Next year I will add a bit of potatoes..for a change..but imperceptible:)

La Recette~

Tourtiere
The Canadiana Cookbook/Mme Jehane Benoit



1 lb pork -- minced
1 sm onion -- chopped
1 sm garlic clove -- minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c water
1/4 c bread crumbs -- up to 1/2 cup
Pastry dough of your choice

Place all the ingredients except the bread crumbs and pastry in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Remove
from heat and add a few spoonfuls of bread crumbs. Let stand for 10
minutes. If the fat is sufficiently absorbed by the bread crumbs, do not
add more. If not, continue in the same manner.

Cool and pour into a pastry-lined pie pan. Cover with crust. Bake at 400
degrees until golden brown. Serve hot. A cooked tourtiere can be frozen 4-5
months. It does not have to be thawed out before reheating.

I often start the pie on the bottom rack and move up..this year I blind baked the crusts first.
I love these in muffin cups..and I make the next size up..One portion sized smaller pie tins..

There are millions of tourtieres recipes..I have made several..but this is the one my mom made..as close to it I think..
***I add cinnamon.. and believe oit or not..my husband sprinkles sugar on top! This is served w/ a home made chunky ketchup..or refular ketchup..or chili sauce..I like mine when I eat it..w/ mustard..I do a mixture of meats..pork and beef.
Already the recipe is different:)





Another savory pie we enjoy here is salmon pie~ ( Warning*** Night photo:))



It is best with fresh salmon..but when none is on hand..a good canned kind can work well..
I use mashed potatoes that I make,garlic,butter ..and french shallots. then mix in the salmon and some salt and pepper..celery salt(a touch) and fish spices..you can use Old bay if you wish..
I sometimes use a short crust.. but I think I prefer just no crust at the bottom and a puff pastry topping..it makes a nice quick meal~

27 comments:

  1. Ooooh I love these recipes.....I forgot about Madam Benoit!!!! I remember her...I wonder if her books are still around? The salmon pie looks so yummy...love salmon in any way and I noticed that Costco has gorgeous salmon...
    Hugs,
    Mags
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love your pastry Monique.

    My toutiere is also adapted from Madame Benoit's recipe.

    I know when Moe sees your post he is going to put in a request for Touriere.

    Ann

    ReplyDelete
  3. Salmon Pie is almost too good to be true. And your crusts are so lovely. Mmmm, mmm, mmm!

    :)
    ButterYum

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have never tried to make a tortiere before but do love the English versions of meat pies (just not Mrs Lovett's
    version). The little cutters are genius... they look like fallen leaves on the pie! I just made coulibiac and love salmon in a crust for Christmas and loved it.. a less fussy version looks great! I must look into this cookbook!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Monique, your pies are perfection. I'm going to try the idea of stacking up the shapes on top as you did your stars. Savory pies are a dish we like to enjoy during the cold winter months. I'll pass the recipe along to the chef. ;-)
    Thanks for sharing beauty from your table. ~ sarah

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your pastry is very good to me!!! I WANT that cutter!!! I love that store (W-S)...have a beautiful weekend, hugs, Flavia

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm envious of your pies - they look so perfect! Delicious ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Just perfect gorgeous pastry and I know the pies are delicious...I can just taste them!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So clever and inspiring, as always! I love the mini stars as a topping...you have excited to try this when I convert my husband's favorite thick stew into a beef pot pie!
    Love,
    Tracey
    x0x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cette recette m'a l'aire succulente. J'aime beaucoup faire des tourtes... Il y a mille et une façon d'en préparer l'essentiel est d'y mettre tout son amour et magiquement c'est délicieux!
    Bravo, encore pour les photos! et merci pour l'ensemble de vos visites et adorables commentaires...
    Pour vous remercier je vous inviterais bien à ma table, ce ne sera pas la table de nana! mais celle de Martine-Alison! (sachez que j'ai oeuvré avec d'illustres grands chefs!) sourire.... Bisous

    ReplyDelete
  11. they are so pretty, i wonder if i will ever cook again...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lovely crusts! I have yet to master crusts...I cannot roll them properly. Yours are perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Don't you love those pastry cutters from WS? They are pricey but so much fun to use. What beautiful pies! I think I would love your salmon pie.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh Monique, I make a version of Mme. Benoit's Tortiere every year as well. Salmon Pie was always my father's favourites. I remember making him one the very first time he came to see me after I was married. I must make one soon for Todd. Your pies look beautiful. You are a star! xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your pies look fabulous. I have to go to WS and get some of those fantastic pastry cutters. I have never seen one that had the entire top covered with the adorable stars. That must have take forever, but wow, worth it for it is so stylish! Love the pinch of cloves in it. We would love this fabulous recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This looks like a good rustic savory pie. I like the simplicity of the pie filling. I adore the gadgets I get at WS too. This pie crust cutter was a great find!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for making my taste buds smile, now off the kitchen to give it a try.
    Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yes have a great weekend everyone..I wish we had a W-S here.. maybe that's a good thing though;)
    Marie you spoil your men:)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh you should link up to my pie party for NATIONAL PIE DAY!!!

    http://jojos-joys.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your pie crusts are picture perfect, Monique. I do love a savory pie and will look forward to trying your recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I also make tourtières every year; part of our french canadian heritage and tradition in my family. Love Mme Benoit!!!!
    And your croutes are so lovely; I will be on the lookout for those cutters; your tourtières is so nice!!!Think I will have to get one out of the freezer; you made me hunger for a taste of the holidays.
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  22. Glorious. That pastry is just picture perfect. I would just love to dig into a bite of those beautiful pies!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your pastry looks as if it would melt in your mouth...my mouth!
    Savory pies...MMmmm.
    I'm so glad you love to cook and bake...everyone else is too!
    Sure wish we had a smell button on these computers.
    Kathy @
    Sweet Up-North Mornings...

    ReplyDelete
  24. I remember when you told us about the pies, a Cmas Eve tradition. I made them in my little pie tins. Not as pretty as yours! I was telling someone about them and she said her Canadian aunt by marriage used to make them. And I had never heard of them!

    ReplyDelete
  25. ça c'est encore de la jolie nourriture ! C'est très réconfortant, un bon pie sortant tout chaud du four !
    Bisous
    Hélène

    ReplyDelete