Receta Meat Pie
I hear that cupcakes are on the "out" list this year, being replaced by pie. This wouldn't surprise me, considering all of the pie, sweet and savory, I've seen seen lately. Why, in my house alone, we had two pies (both totally consumed) on New Year's Day.
The first pie of the day was actually a "tourtière", or a French/Canadian meat pie. My mother-in-law's grandmother was French/Canadian, so tradition in my husband's family is to have Meat Pie every New Year's Day for good luck. I have to tell you, though, that her family has enough "good luck" food traditions, we should be swimming in lottery money by now....pork and sauerkraut, fish that swim forward (?), black-eyed peas (those I've never had)....Meat Pie is the one that I don't mind having.
The recipe for these is pretty easy. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and line an 8" cake pan (I use the foil ones) with pie dough. I used a Pillsbury crust, although my MIL swears by homemade. Then, just peel and dice 2 large baking potatoes and put them in a large saucepan. Cover them with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until just tender. Leave them in the water and mush them up a little with a potato masher, then add 3/4 pound ground beef, 3/4 pound ground pork, 1 chopped onion, salt and pepper, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and a 1/4 teaspoon sage. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the water, and spoon the meat into the 8" cake pan. Top the filling with the remaining pie crust, cut somes holes in it to vent, and pinch the pastry together. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, placing foil around the edges of the pie if it starts to brown too much.
Serve the pie wedges with dill pickles (I often use a little ketchup, but don't tell that to anyone of true French/Canadian descent).
We finished the day with my Lemon Angel Pie. Both of these pies could give the cupcake a run for it's money.
What do you think---is pie the new cupcake?