"Tourtière" French-Canadian Meat Pie

New Englanders go bonkers over French Canadian meat pie. There are as many variations on this recipe as there are French-Canadians.Each family has it's own favourite recipe,so there is no one that is absolute. My luxe version is a combination of those traditional pork filled meat pies with the addition of minced chicken livers deglazed with Cognac,onion,clove and fresh ground allspice. It is then simmered slowly in wine and rich chicken stock until the all liquid has evaporated. Tiny diced raw potatoes are added toward the end of the simmering process,followed by a folding in of cooked mashed potatoes as a thickener. The meat mixture is then baked in a deep dish tart shell enrobed in my favourite "American Test Kitchen's" recipe for full proof pate brisee until golden brown.I serve this at room temperature with dijon mustard sweetened with just a kiss of 100% grade A maple syrup.This is a time consuming recipe,but think of it as a labor of pure unapologetic carnivorous love.

ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons water
2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions,finely diced
Fresh ground black pepper
1 fresh ground clove,@1/8th teaspoon
2 teaspoons freshly ground allspice berries
2 cloves garlic,minced (or more to taste)
2 chicken livers,minced
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoons fresh sage,finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme or savory
12 oz. russet potato shredded (@1 extra large or 2 small )
double crust storebought pie dough or homemade pate brisee
1egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water

method:


1.)Dissolve 1&1/2 teaspoons salt and baking soda in 2 tablespoons water.Mix into ground pork and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.Meanwhile,heat oil in a large dutch oven set over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.Add onion,1 teaspoon pepper,ground clove and allspice.Cover and sweat 3-5 minutes,stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
2.)Uncover,increase temperature to medium high and add minced chicken livers,stirring briskly into onions until broken down and lightly cooked,@ 30 seconds.Add cognac to deglaze until evaporated.
Add ground pork,breaking it up with a wooden spoon @5 minutes until slightly browned but still pink.
3.)Add wine,chicken stock,bay leaves,sage and thyme or savory. Bring to a low simmer and cook,stirring occasionally until liquid is almost evaporated,about 45 minutes to an hour.
While meat is simmering,peel and shred 1 large potato and put into a medium bowl. When meat liquid is almost gone, toss potatoes into the meat mixture.Cook another 10 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and potato is tender.Remove from heat,fish out bay leaf and transfer mixture into a large bowl or 9x13 inch baking pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least an hour.
4.)While meat is chilling,prepare your favorite homemade pie crust according to directions or store-bought pie dough and chill.
Place a baking sheet on the lowest rack in oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
5.)Roll out first pie dough layer and line a 9 inch round x 11/2 inch deep dish tart plate with a removable bottom or a 9 inch glass pie plate.Fill with meat chilled mixture,spreading evenly to the edges and mounding slightly on top.Cover with second pie dough,tuck around the sides of the bottom crust and crimp edges to seal. Mix egg and water together in a small bowl and brush all over pie crust.Cut several slashes in the top to release steam.
6.)Place pie on bottom rack in oven and bake about 45 minutes or until crust is golden and juice is bubbling through slits in pie.Cool pie on a wire rack 2 hours.Release pie from tart tart pan (if using).Slice and  serve at room temperature or cold refrigerated with a generous dollup of maple dijon mustard.

 maple dijon mustard

1/2 cup grey poupon mustard
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or more to desired sweetness)

Whisk together in a small bowl and allow to serve at room temperature spread generously on meat pie slices .