Classic Tourtière

1. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large saute pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, pork and spices and cook until the meat has browned.
2. Pour in the beef stock, bring to a simmer, then drop the heat to medium-low. Stir in the grated potato and cook until almost all the liquid has gone, about 15 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf, season with salt, then take the pan off the heat and let the filling cool completely; it assembles best chilled.
3. Heat the oven to 375F (190C). On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough to under a quarter-inch thick and line a 9-inch pie plate. Spread the cooled filling in evenly, roll out another disc, cut a hole in the centre for steam and lay it over the top. Trim the dough to half an inch beyond the edge, pinch the edges together and brush with egg wash.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Leave to settle for 15 minutes before slicing. (Makes two 9-inch pies.)

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Grate the potato straight into the filling; it holds everything together and keeps the meat moist.
• Let the filling go completely cold, ideally chilled, before you build the pie, or the pastry will turn greasy.
• Cut a hole in the lid so steam can escape and the crust crisps instead of going soggy underneath.
• An egg wash over the top bakes to a deep, glossy gold.