November 2019 • Nebraskaland 19
PHOTOS
BY
RYAN
SPARKS
Sweet Tomato Sauce (directions to follow)
•
14 ounces canned tomatoes and their juice
•
2 tablespoons white sugar
•
1 tablespoon tomato paste
•
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
•
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
•
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
•
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Pastry
In a large mixing bowl or food processor, combine the flour
and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with your
fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse
meal. Do not overwork. Stir in enough ice water to make the
dough come together.
Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a round disc.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Filling
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil
and butter. Add the meat a third at a time, allowing it to
brown. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. When small
bits of caramelized meat start to form, add the mushrooms,
onions, garlic, spices and grated potatoes. Reduce the heat to
medium and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes.
Add the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to
remove the tasty meat bits. Reduce the heat to low and
continue cooking until all the wine has evaporated. Taste the
tourtière filling and adjust the seasoning and spices as you
like. Let cool completely.
Assembly
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly flour a work
surface and roll each pastry round into an 11-inch circle
approximately 1/8 inch thick. Using one pastry, line a 9-inch
pie plate. If the pastry is too soft, put it in the freezer for five
minutes.
Add the tourtière filling and cover with the second pastry
round. Crimp and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.
Brush the pastry with lightly beaten egg yolk and score the
top with a knife to allow steam to escape while baking.
Bake for 15 minutes at 450, and then reduce the
temperature to 350 and bake until the crust is golden brown,
about 35 minutes. Cover it with foil if the top browns too
quickly. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with
sweet tomato jam.
Sweet Tomato Jam
Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to
a quick simmer. After the tomatoes have cooked for five
minutes, crush them with a whisk or wooden spatula. Turn
heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally
for 20-30 minutes until it has slightly thickened. Taste for
seasoning and refrigerate.
Ryan Sparks is a freelance outdoor writer and photographer.
See more of his work at sparksryan.com.
