Lunch: Tourtiere (aka Meat Pie)

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Tourtiere (aka Meat Pie)

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons/45 ml canola oil
3 pounds/1.5 kg ground pork
3 pounds/1.5 kg ground veal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup/250 ml veal stock
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml ground nutmeg
4 potatoes, grated
6 batches Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows, or store-bought
2 eggs beaten with a little water, for egg wash

Instructions

In a large saucepan, soften the garlic and onions in the oil. Add the pork and veal and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring to crumble the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the veal stock, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes begin to fall apart, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until completely chilled. With the rack in the lowest position, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line six 9-inch (23-cm) pie plates with the pastry. Cover with the cooled meat mixture. Cover with a second crust. Brush with egg wash. Make an incision in the center. Press the edge to seal with a fork or your fingers. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse for a few seconds at a time until the butter is the size of peas. Add the water and pulse again until the dough just begins to form. Add water as needed. Remove the dough from the food processor and form 2 discs. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface or between 2 sheets of parchment paper in a 1/8-inch (3 to 4-mm) thick sheet. Use the dough to make a 2-crust pie or line two 9 to 10-inch (23 to 25-cm) pie plates. Yield: 2 pie crusts.