La tourtière

Crust

3 cups flour
1 cup room-temperature shortening
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup ice-cold water, plus a little more if necessary

Mix flour, shortening and salt until it resembles coarse meal.
Make a well in the centre and add water.
With a fork, work the flour/shortening mixture into the water. Add water if necessary. Do not overmix.
Divide dough into balls, flatten and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Makes enough dough for about 2 double-crust pies.
The tourtières are double-crust pies. Brush the top crust with milk to make it shiny and golden coloured.

Meat mixture

Enough oil and/or butter to cover the bottom of the pot
3 1/4 lb ground pork
1 lb ground veal
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, very finely chopped
Approximately 1 cup hot water or hot chicken broth
2 potatoes, cut in small pieces, cooked and then mashed
Clove, cinnamon and allspice - starting with 1/8 tsp each and increasing to taste - the meat mixture is very subtly seasoned, all the spices blending together
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil and/or butter. Brown the onions, add the meats a little at a time and stir vigorously.
Add water slowly.
When the meat is cooked, add the cooked potatoes.
Season to taste.
Let the meat mixture cool before making the pies.
Cook the pies at 350F until the top crust is nicely brown.

Makes enough meat for 5 or 6 meatpies.