The Owners' Manual | Issue 14 | Fall/Winter 2018

Filling:

• 1 tsp. salt • 2 cups of water • 1 large potato (about 12 oz.), peeled and cut into ½” dices

My favorite holiday tradition, and one I still try to hold on to, is my family being together on Christmas Eve. There was a time (not too long ago) we were all together. It would be about 20 to 25 of us. Unfortunately, we have lost a brother and a sister-in-law. A few siblings moved away, and some family members just can’t come. It was always my favorite part of the holidays. Lots of food and gifts for everyone! My kids and their cousins would put on concerts for the adults. It was wonderful! One special food we would have especially when my mom was with us would be a French-Canadian recipe, “Tourtiere” (meat pie). I still make it, but it will never taste like moms. My siblings aren’t in CT. anymore, but I have nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews that come, and of course my husband and my two sons, and someday (hopefully not too far down the road) possibly daughter in laws and grandbabies. - Susan Dougherty, Hartford

• 1 pound of ground beef • 1 pound of ground pork • 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine • ½ tsp. ground clove

• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg • ¼ tsp. ground allspice • ¾ tsp. ground sage • ½ tsp. ground black pepper • ½ to ¾ tsp. salt, to taste

Instructions: To make the filling: Put the salt, water and potato into medium saucepan, bring to a boil until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes, saving the water. Mash about half

the potatoes, leaving the other half in chunks In a large skillet, brown the meat, draining off any excess fat when finished. Add the onion, garlic, spices, salt and reserved potato water to the meat, stirring to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Stirring occasionally, continue simmering the mixture for 35 minutes or so, until the liquid had evaporated, and the onions are tender. Add the mashed potatoes to the meat mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined. Gently stir in the diced potatoes. Set the mixture aside to cool. **You may want to make a homemade double pie crust. - Not anymore for me, I use Pillsbury readymade.** Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a 9” pie plate, at least 1 to 1 ½” deep. Spoon filling into the crust, gently patting it flat. Lay the other crust atop the filling. Pinching and pressing to seal. Make sure you put holes in the top for steam to escape. I brush the crust with milk to brown. Bake the pie for 45 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Remove it from the oven and set it on rack. Allow the pie to cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

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