Tourtière

My mom is from Canada and my dad served his mission in Montreal so my family has a fair amount of respect for French-Canadian traditions.  Every Christmas Eve, we have a tourtière, which is a French-Canadian meat pie.  It’s delicious.  We also make a Bûche de Noël, complete with marzipan or meringue mushrooms.

I don't have any pictures of tourtière.  Sorry!

I can’t think of any particularly memorable Christmases; however, Christmas with little Michael (big Michael now!) is always funny from year to year.  He can always be counted on to enthusiastically open all of the large, wrapped gifts and squeal in excitement when he sees the contents.  Whether the gift is a frying pan, a dvd for the three girls—my sisters and I— or a car cleaning supply for my dad, Michael will be highly energetic, shouting, “Wow!  Look!  Look!”  He’s very sweet.  This past Christmas, we stood at the top of the staircase to prepare for the big reveal (we’re not allowed to scurry downstairs; my parents arrange the gifts and we get ready) and he whispered in Catherine’s ear, “Catherine, I got you scarf.”  No surprises!  :)

Here’s a gluten-free recipe!

Tourtière

Filling:

-2 lbs meat

-1 onion chopped

-2 cloves garlic minced

-1/2 cup water

-1/2 tsp. nutmeg

-1-2 tsp. cinn.

-1/2 tsp. ground cloves (optional)

Simmer meat, onion, garlic, and water in big covered pot over low heat for 2 hours or until all water has dissolved. Personally, I like to cook the meat for 1 1/2 hour covered and then remove the lid for the last 30 min. or so. I find this makes the meat more tender. After meat is cooked, add in spices, taste, and adjust if needed. It is better to add too little spices at first, then too much.

~1/2 cup brown rice flour

~1/3 cup potato starch

~1/4 cup tapioca starch

~3-4 Tbs sweet rice flour

~1 tsp. cornstarch

~2 Tbp sugar

~1/2 tsp. baking powder

~1 1/2 tsp. xantham gum

~1/2 cup butter

~2 egg

~1 Tbs lemon juice

Combine all flours, cornstarch, baking powder, and xantham gum into bowl. Cut the 1/2 cup butter into chunks and place in bowl. With a fork cut the butter into the flour until the butter is pea sized. Combine 1 egg and lemon juice in separate cup/container and then pour into dough. Gently combine the liquid with the dry ingredients using a fork. Once combined dough should hold together well, if it is to dry add just a tsp. of water at first, if more is needed add another. If dough is too wet, sprinkle white rice flour onto ball of dough. Place the ball of dough onto wax paper and wrap together, then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour before adding the filling.  Once dough is refrigerated for one hour, unwrap the dough and place between two nicely floured (with white rice flour) wax paper sheets. If dough starts to stick to paper add a touch more flour. Roll out the dough until it is about an inch longer all around than pie pan. Remove one wax paper and place pan on dough. Flip the dough over and you are set with the first crust. Then place the filling in crust, recipe located below, and repeat the rolling process with the other ball of dough. Remove one wax sheet and flip dough onto top of pie. Then crunch the sides together with your fingers making whatever design you please. Before placing into the oven brush a beaten egg over top and sprinkle with sugar, then cut 4 slits into pie in a design or simply poke a couple holes with a fork and put that masterpiece in the oven. Cook at 350 F for 40-45 min, or until golden brown on top.