Tourtière came to Ontario with the French-Canadian families who settled along the Ottawa River and in the eastern counties, and it’s been a holiday cornerstone ever since. Traditionally served at midnight on Christmas Eve after mass, the pie was a way to use up the fall’s meat and feed a houseful of family on the coldest night of the year. Every family swears by its own spice blend — cinnamon, cloves, allspice — and the recipe wars are as fierce as the butter tart ones.
What makes it great is the deep, warming spice that perfumes the whole house while it bakes — a savoury pie that tastes like winter and celebration at once. The filling is rich and moist, studded with finely ground meat and a touch of potato for body, all wrapped in a flaky pastry crust. Serve it with a dollop of grainy mustard or ketchup, and you’ll understand why it’s been the taste of French-Canadian Christmas for over 400 years.
