Meat pie, or tortière, is a traditional French-Canadian dish that is central to Christmas celebrations. Historically, it was served at the réveillon, the Christmas Eve festivities that generally occurred in the hours after Midnight Mass. Today, tortière is served throughout the holiday season.
Despite its iconic status, there are many varieties of and variations on tortière. This Mexican Meat Pie is one of the more extreme variants. Instead of a pastry top and bottom, it uses a cheesey cornmeal biscuit bottom crust and has an open top. The meat mixture, rather than being comprised of the traditional pork, onion, celery and seasoning, is a zesty tomato beef mixture that wows taste buds and gets the blood flowing.
Mexican Meat Pie
Ingredients:
Cornmeal Bottom:
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp cornmeal
- 8 oz. mozzarella (grated)
Meat Topping:
- ½ pound hamburger
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp. chilli powder
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- ½ cup Cheese Whiz
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
Directions:
- Mix the ingredients for the bottom together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour into a greased 9” pie plate.
- In a large frying pan, brown the hamburger and add the onions, tomatoes and green pepper. Cook until tender.
- Add Cheese Whiz and chili powder. Stir over low heat until the cheese is melted.
- Spoon meat mixture over the batter in the pie plate and bake in a 400 F oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
- This recipe doubles easily. A 9” x 13” rectangular pan works well for a double batch, but two greased 9” pie plates can also be used.
Substitutions:
- Substitute 1/4 pound of diced cooked chicken or turkey and ¼ pound of canned black beans, drained and rinsed for the ground beef.
- For a warm zing, use one or two finely chopped chipotle peppers instead of the chili powder and green peppers.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve hot with a crisp lettuce salad and potato gems or tortilla chips.
Freezing Instructions:
- Allow the meatpie to cool completely.
- Pass a sharp spatula or thin knife around the edges of the pie plate or pan then gently lift up the pie. Tilt the pie plate to help the meat pie fall out. Cover with plastic wrap or close inside a large Ziplock freezer bag. Freeze flat.
- Thaw wrapped in plastic on the counter or in the fridge or warm directly from the frozen state in the microwave or oven.
The Best Christmas Tortière
Unlike tortière, Mexican Meat Pie is quick and easy to make. It can easily be prepared in twenty or thirty minutes, and since it only requires thirty minutes more to cook, Mexican Meat Pie is a great last minute holiday meal solution for drop-in or lingering guests. It keeps well and can be made days or even weeks ahead if stored in the freezer. With its Latin flair, Mexican Meat Pie is truly the best Christmas Tortière.
HOL101
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