Mom's Tourtière Pie

Nothing says winter holidays for me like homemade Tourtière Pie. The filling is pretty much the same as gorton, which my mom used to stuff the turkey with, and which no decent after Thanksgiving sandwich was without: turkey, gorton, and cranberry sauce in a sandwich. At least for me. Since she is apparently too busy to make pies for me and ship them across the country, I've had to learn to fend for myself. So here it is. This makes enough for 2 pies. Great right from the oven, or cold from the refrigerator. Always great with cranberry sauce.

Mom's Tourtière Pie

oven: 375°

1 onion diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups water

2 lbs ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of thyme

1 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

3 or 4 medium potatoes, diced and boiled separately
crusts for 2 pies, top and bottom

Saute onions and celery in a touch of oil until onions just start to brown around the edges. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add remaining ingredients except potatoes breaking up the meat and bring to boil then simmer for about 3 hours, adding a little more water as necessary while cooking. Drain and save liquid.  Add diced cooked potatoes to pork mixture. Use a potato masher to break them up a little and blend into pork, but you should still see potato bits. Add a little of the saved liquid to the mix to help hold together if needed. (If you let the liquid sit a bit, you can separate the juices from the fat.)  Put into two uncooked pie crusts.  Top it and cook as a regular pie making sure to vent crust, about 45 minutes at 375 degrees.  Makes two  pies, with maybe some extra. Or not. Depends on the size of your pie pans I guess.

Note: I use Pillsbury crusts and brush the top with beaten egg to "shine" it up.