French Meat Pie

Favorite, Ma Cusson Kitchen

Cook Time : 45 Minutes Source : Ma Cusson's Recipe Box

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (85% lean)
1/4 pound ground pork
3/4 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 Medium russet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon Bell Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Sage

Directions

In a large frying pan brown ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic
        
        Add 1/4 cup water and simmer 20 minutes
        
        Drain excess water/fat
        
        Meanwhile, slide potatoes and boil until tender.
        
        Mash the potatoes with a potato masher
Add mashed potato to ground beef mixture, mixing well until it's almost a paste
        
        Add Bell Seasoning, Sage, and salt & pepper (to taste), mix well
Let sit 15-20 minutes. This is important for the flavor to settle in.
        
        Now is a good time to pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees
        
        Adjust spices if desired.
When making the pie:
        
        Lay pie crust into 9" pie pan, gently pressing plat into pan and along side
        
        Fill bottom pie crust with the meat mixture, spreading it evenly
        
        Dampen rim of bottom crust with warm water
        
        Put top crust on and crimp around edges with fork
Cut holes in top crust (2 or 3 slits)
        
        Bake at 375 for 45 minutes

Notes

I tend to double this up and make two pies at a time. Twice the pie at almost no extra work. To do this I use about 2 lbs of hamburg and about 1 lbs of ground pork. This will make two "rounded" 9" pies. I also use almost 2 cups of onions and 3 or 4 good sized cloves of garlic. I start with 1 teaspoon of Bell Seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of sage but I always need more. You really have to experiment to get a good flavor.

Final Note: As your seasonings age they lose potency. It is very important to mix them in with meat well and to let it sit for 15-20 minutes before tasting and adding more.