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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour 45 minutes
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Difficulty
Medium
Beef potato pie will be a cake dish that is delicious and indispensable during holidays like Thanksgiving. Let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to make the beef potato pie – La tourtiere in authentic Canadian style!
Ingredients for Beef Potato Pie – La tourtiere Serves 2
All-purpose flour 375 gr Baking powder 1 teaspoon (baking soda) Unsalted butter 230 gr Potatoes 2 pieces Clove powder 1/4 teaspoon Ginger powder 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon powder 1/4 teaspoon Mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon Thyme 1 teaspoon Olive oil 3 tablespoons (or cooking oil) Onion 1 piece Celery 2 stalks Garlic 3 cloves Beef 900 gr Beef broth 300 ml Salt/ pepper to taste
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh potatoes:
- Choose potatoes that are medium-sized, yellow, with smooth skin, firm to the touch, and feel solid in hand.
- Avoid selecting potatoes that are too large and white, as they will taste bland and lack nutrients.
- Do not buy potatoes that are scratched, bruised, or have dark spots or worms. Especially, do not choose or eat sprouted potatoes as they can contain toxins harmful to the body.
See details: How to choose potatoes
How to choose fresh beef
- For this dish, you can use pork instead of beef if you prefer. However, it is not recommended to substitute with chicken as it will make the filling dry and lack the rich, delicious flavor.
- Choose pieces of meat that are bright red, with fine, tender fibers, and the characteristic smell of beef, with light yellow fat that does not stick when pressed, showing good elasticity.
- If the meat has grains like rice inside the fibers, it is very likely to be tapeworms, which should absolutely not be purchased.
- Avoid beef that is slimy, has a foul smell, lacks elasticity, or shows dark spots and greenish discoloration. This could indicate that the beef has been stored for too long, or is from sick or dead cattle.
- It is advisable to buy a whole piece of meat rather than pre-sliced, as it is difficult to distinguish fresh meat.
Tools needed
Blender, oven, non-stick pan, aluminum foil, plastic wrap,…
How to make Potato Beef Pie – La tourtiere
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Prepare the ingredients
Peel the potatoes you bought, then put them in a pot with enough water to submerge the potatoes and boil until soft, using chopsticks to poke through easily means they are done.
You can use a spoon or a mashing tool to mash the potatoes.
Peel and dice the onion, chop the celery, and finely chop the garlic.
Wash the beef with diluted salt water mixed with a bit of lemon or vinegar to remove the smell. Then slice it into small pieces and mince or grind it finely.
Tip to prepare beef without odor:
- You can use white wine, ginger, salt, lemon, or vinegar and then rub it on the meat, letting it sit for about 5 – 10 minutes before rinsing with water.
- Additionally, while marinating the meat, you can roast a shallot, peel it, mash it, and marinate it with the beef, which will help effectively eliminate the odor.
See more: Tips to eliminate odors from various types of meat that everyone should know
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Grinding dry flour
Add 375g of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 230g of unsalted butter into the blender, then blend the mixture for about 3 minutes. After that, add 5 – 7 tablespoons of water and blend for another minute to finish.
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Proofing the dough
Place the ground dough into plastic wrap, seal it tightly, and put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to proof the dough.
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Making the dough crust
Take the proofed dough, divide it into 2 parts, and place it on a flat surface that has been dusted with a layer of flour.
Use a rolling pin to flatten it into 2 pieces of dough about 0.5cm thick.
Tip:
- Dusting with flour prevents the dough from sticking to the surface, making it easier to roll out and ensuring a smooth surface after rolling.
- Avoid rolling too thin as it may crack or break during baking, or rolling too thick which can make the dough heavy and unappetizing.
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Mixing spices
Add 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into a bowl and mix the ingredients well.
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Stir-frying the beef
Place a pan on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it up, then add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic and sauté for about 4 – 5 minutes.
Add the minced beef and stir-fry for 4 – 5 minutes until the beef is cooked and no longer pink, then add the seasoning: 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, 300ml of beef broth and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes until the mixture boils and reduces.
Continue to add the mashed potatoes and mix the ingredients well, then turn off the heat and let it cool.
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Shaping the pie
Place a piece of rolled dough onto the pie mold. Use your hands to press the dough so that the edges fit snugly into the mold.
Then, pour the beef and potato mixture onto the dough, using a spoon to spread the meat evenly throughout the pie mold. Whip the egg whites and brush them evenly over the dough edge covering the mold to create a binding layer, then place the remaining dough piece on top.
Use a knife to trim excess dough and use your hands to roll and press the edges of the two dough pieces tightly together.
Finally, use your hands to create waves along the dough edge to enhance the pie’s appearance, use a knife to cut a round hole in the center of the pie surface, then spread a thin layer of whipped egg whites over the pie’s surface.
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Baking the cake
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes to stabilize the temperature.
Place the cake in the oven, adjust the temperature to 190 degrees Celsius and bake for 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Then, cover the surface of the cake with a layer of aluminum foil with holes cut out, and bake for another 30 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius to finish.
Tip: Lining the surface of the cake with a layer of aluminum foil helps the cake bake without burning the surface.
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Final product
Let the cake cool, use a knife to cut into bite-sized pieces and enjoy right away. Biting into the cake, you will feel the crispy, fragrant crust, the chewy and sweet meat filling along with the creamy, rich potatoes that will make your whole family rave!
Tips for successful execution:
- Depending on the power of your oven, adjust and monitor the appropriate cooking time.
- The leftover dough can be placed in a food storage container, sealed tightly, and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days and in the freezer for 1 week; when ready to eat, just thaw and re-bake the dough. However, for the best taste and health safety, it is recommended to consume it within the same day.
- If you want to modify the dish to make it less greasy, you can add diced vegetables of your choice and sauté them with the filling.
See more:
- How to make super realistic, soft and delicious potato sprout buns
- How to make delicious vegetarian potato balls with mixed mushroom filling
- How to make baked buns filled with mashed potato and cheese using a frying pan
I hope this article helps you have another recipe for how to make potato and beef pie – La tourtiere with authentic Canadian flavor for Thanksgiving. See you in the next articles.
