P.E.I. Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry shares her Acadian meat pie recipe

The holiday season is a time when many Islanders revisit past family traditions.

That includes P.E.I. Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry, who is now passing her family's meat pie recipe to other Islanders.

"Christmas isn't Christmas without the Acadian meat pie," Perry said.

The Acadian meat pie is also called pâté. Perry said she made the pies with her mother for years. In 1993 Perry's mother had some heart issues, so she and her sister kept the tradition alive.

"Later on even, mom, after her stroke we got her filling the pie shells," Perry said.

Perry said the only way to learn how to make a meat pie is to actually make one yourself.

Pâté (Acadian meat pie)

Ingredients:

• 8 lb stewing hen.
• 6 lb pork shoulder.
• 2 lb beef.
• 2 lb turkey drumsticks.
• Salt.
• Pepper.
• 1 tbsp whole pickling spice.
• Water (don't quite cover meat).

Directions:

1. In large stockpot, cook large chunks of meat.
2. Crush pickling spice with hammer (in a cloth bag), sprinkle over meat.
3. Simmer for one and a half to two hours.
4. Cut meat into chunks, strain broth. Refrigerate overnight.

Day 2:

1. Skim fat off broth. Refrigerate.
2. Heat about 2 to 3 cups of broth. Pour over diced meat to moisten.
3. Chop 6 medium onions. Mince in food processor or blender with 1 cup of broth. Add to meat mixture.
4. Add 1 tbsp crushed summer savoury, 2 tsp oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well. Make sure the meat mixture is wet enough.

Crust ingredients:

• 12 cups flour.
• 24 tsp baking powder.
• 6 tsp salt.
• 3 cups lard (use fat from meat as well as lard).
• 4 eggs (1 cup). 
• 2 cups broth.
• 2 cups milk.

Makes six or seven double-crusted pies (9-inch tempered glass pie plates) or 7- to 10-inch deep tin foil plates.

Directions:

1. When filling pies, fill about ⅔ with meat mix and add some broth.
2. Cook at 400 F for 25-30 minutes. Shift from top to bottom rack and vice versa after 15 minutes.

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