Meat Pie (Canadian Beef Tourtière)

This is a Canadian classic that makes me feel warm inside. It's easy, and if you don't have time to make a dough, just buy it. I love making big batches with the family because the kids can play with the dough, make their own little versions, and the pies freeze really well.

Pâte Brisée:
3⅓ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (425 g)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1⅔ cups unsalted butter, cold (375 g)
½ cup water, ice cold (120 mL)
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp. water, for glaze

Filling:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. Canola oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped (150 g)
1 cup celery, finely chopped (150 g)
1 cup leeks, finely chopped (150 g)
3 lbs lean ground beef (1.3 kg)
1½ tsp. ground cloves
1½ tsp. ground cardamom
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground mace
½ tsp. ground star anise
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (75 g)

To Serve:
2 cups Heinz ketchup (480 mL)

Make the Pâte Brisée:
In food processor, combine flour and salt. Add butter and pulse for a few seconds at a time, until butter is size of peas. Add cold water and pulse again until dough just begins to form, adding more water as needed.

Remove dough from food processor and form 2 discs; wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes. You can make dough a day ahead and store in refrigerator; just pull out 1 hour before making pie crust.

Make the Beef Mixture:
Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

While the dough is resting and the oven is preheating; in large Dutch oven, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery and leeks, and cook until onions are translucent with no colour, about 10 minutes.

Add ground beef and cook for 8 minutes. Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, mace and star anise. Once spices are toasted, sprinkle in flour to thicken fat in pan and bring meat mixture together, cooking for 3-5 minutes. Cool completely. It's really important that meat is cool, or your tourtière will leak when it's being baked.

Make the Pie Crust and Assemble:
Roll out half of dough on floured work surface to a ½" (3 mm) thick sheet, about 13" (33 cm) long, and set it into a 9" (23 cm) pie pan.

Roll out second half of dough. Fill crust with meat mixture, place second crust on top, and seal edges by pinching lid and base together with your thumb and index finger, creating a pleated look. Cut an "x" to make steam hole in top centre of tourtière.

Bake Tourtière and Serve:
Brush top of tourtière with egg wash and bake for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden and beautiful. Cool for 5-10 minutes, cut a big old slice, and serve with large dollop of Heinz ketchup.

Makes 6-8 servings.