Recipe: Traditional Quebecois Cipate 🥧
Description:
Cipate is a beloved traditional meat pie hailing from Quebec, Canada, embodying a rich culinary heritage and a delightful amalgamation of flavors. This hearty dish, featuring a tantalizing blend of chicken, pork, and beef encased in a savory crust, promises a symphony of taste and texture that will surely captivate your palate. With layers of tender meat, potatoes, and onions enveloped in a golden crust, this cipate is perfect for sharing with loved ones or serving at festive gatherings. Follow this recipe to recreate the authentic flavors of Quebec in your own kitchen!
Key Information:
- Cuisine: Canadian (Quebecois)
- Course: Main Course
- Preparation Time: 1 hour
- Cooking Time: 7 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Servings: 16
- Calories (per serving): 569.3
- Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Fat: 33.9g
- Saturated Fat: 11.4g
- Cholesterol: 111.5mg
- Sodium: 215.8mg
- Carbohydrates: 36.4g
- Fiber: 3.3g
- Sugar: 1.2g
- Protein: 28.6g
Ingredients:
- 1 boneless chicken
- 2 cups stewing beef
- 2 onions
- 1 potato
- 1 egg
- Salt (to taste)
- Water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- Salted pork fat (for lining the baking dish)
Instructions:
-
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking later.
-
Prepare the Meat Mixture:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the boneless chicken, stewing beef, and diced onions. Season the mixture with salt to taste, ensuring even distribution of flavors. Set aside for later use.
-
Layer the Ingredients:
- Take a deep oven-baking dish and line the bottom with salted pork fat, creating a flavorful base for your cipate.
- Begin layering the ingredients in the baking dish, alternating between thinly sliced potatoes, the prepared meat mixture, and small squares of dough.
- Finish each layer with a generous covering of dough until all ingredients are used, ensuring even distribution and compactness.
-
Prepare the Dough:
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg with salt and water to create a liquid mixture.
- In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and vegetable shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Gradually incorporate the liquid mixture into the flour mixture, using two knives to blend until a dough forms.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow it to firm up.
-
Assemble the Cipate:
- Once the dough has chilled, roll out a portion to form a pie shell, reserving the remaining dough for later use.
- Cover the layered ingredients in the baking dish with the pie shell, ensuring it completely seals the contents.
-
Bake the Cipate:
- Cover the baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven.
- Bake until the dough begins to absorb some of the fats, creating a rich and flavorful crust.
- After the initial baking time, uncover the dish and continue baking for an additional hour to allow the flavors to meld and the crust to develop further.
-
Slow Cook to Perfection:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and cover the baking dish once again.
- Allow the cipate to slow cook for approximately 6 hours, ensuring that the meat becomes tender and the flavors intensify.
-
Serve and Enjoy:
- Once fully cooked, remove the cipate from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving.
- Slice into generous portions and serve warm, savoring each bite of this delectable Quebecois delicacy.
Tips:
- For added flavor, consider incorporating aromatic herbs such as thyme or rosemary into the meat mixture.
- Ensure that the dough is properly chilled before rolling it out to achieve a flaky and tender crust.
- Leftover cipate can be refrigerated and enjoyed the next day, either reheated or served cold for a convenient and delicious meal option.
Conclusion:
Indulge in the rich flavors and hearty goodness of traditional Quebecois cipate with this authentic recipe that pays homage to the culinary heritage of Canada’s French-speaking province. Perfect for gatherings or cozy weeknight dinners, this savory meat pie is sure to become a favorite among family and friends. So gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and embark on a culinary journey to Quebec with this mouthwatering cipate recipe! 🇨🇦🥧