Tourte Lorraine
Ingredients
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- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons fine sea salt – for pastry
- 1 cups unsalted butter – cold, cut into 0.5-inch cubes
- 2/3 cups ice water
- 16 ounces pork shoulder – cut into 0.5-inch cubes (~1.5 n/a pork shoulders)
- 12 ounces veal shoulder – cut into 0.5-inch cubes
- 1 cups dry white wine
- 1/2 cups shallots – finely chopped (~2.5 medium shallots)
- 2 cloves garlic – smashed
- 1/4 cups flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
- 1 teaspoons fine sea salt – for marinating meat
- 3/4 teaspoons black pepper – for marinating meat
- 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt – for seasoning filling
- 1/4 teaspoons black pepper – for seasoning filling
- 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 2 large large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt – for custard
- 1 large egg – beaten with water for egg wash
- 1 tablespoons water – for egg wash
Instructions
1. Marinate the meat: In a nonreactive bowl, combine the pork shoulder, veal shoulder, dry white wine, shallots, garlic, flat-leaf parsley, fine sea salt (for marinating meat), and black pepper (for marinating meat). Toss well, cover, and refrigerate 12 hours.
2. Make the rough puff pastry: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt (for pastry). Toss in the cold unsalted butter to coat, then smash each cube lightly with your fingertips. Sprinkle in the ice water and mix just until a shaggy dough forms with visible butter pieces. Press into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, wrap, and chill 20 minutes.
3. Laminate: On lightly parchment-lined surface, roll the dough to roughly 8×16 inches. Fold in thirds like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, wrap, and chill 20 minutes. Repeat this roll–fold–chill cycle two more times (3 turns total). Chill 20 minutes after the final turn.
4. Divide and line the pan: Cut the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger for the base. Roll the larger piece into a 12-inch round and line a 9-inch springform or deep pie pan, letting excess hang over. Chill. Roll the smaller piece to an 11-inch round for the lid and chill on a sheet.
5. Drain the marinade: Tip the meat and aromatics into a colander, discard the liquid, and pat the meat very dry with paper towels. Pick off any large bits of aromatics to avoid sogginess.
6. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle.
7. Fill and season: Spoon the marinated meat into the lined pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the fine sea salt (for seasoning filling) and black pepper (for seasoning filling) evenly over the meat.
8. Lid and vent: Cover with the pastry lid. Trim, fold, and crimp the edges to seal. Cut a 0.5-inch chimney in the center and, if you like, insert a small parchment cone to keep it open.
9. Egg wash: Beat the egg (beaten with water for egg wash) with the water (for egg wash) and brush the top pastry.
10. Bake 30–35 minutes until lightly golden and you see a little fat bubbling at the chimney.
11. Make the custard: In a bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, large eggs, ground nutmeg, and fine sea salt (for custard) until smooth.
12. Add the custard: Pull the tourte out just enough to access the chimney. Using a small funnel, slowly pour in the custard until it sits just below the opening.
13. Return to the oven and bake 20–25 minutes more, until the pastry is deep golden and the custard is just set (a thin knife inserted through the chimney comes out mostly clean with only a trace of cream).
14. Rest 15–20 minutes, unmold, and slice. Serve warm or at cool room temperature.
Tourte lorraine is a proud meat pie of France’s Lorraine region, built on generous cubes of marinated pork and often veal, encased in buttery pastry. The filling is savory and aromatic from white wine, shallots, garlic, and parsley, while a rich cream-and-egg custard added through a chimney during baking gently binds the meat. The result is a lofty, golden-crusted pie with tender, juicy pieces inside and a delicate, faintly spiced custard that slices cleanly.
Historically, tourtes in Lorraine evolved alongside the region’s famous quiche, sharing dairy richness but remaining distinct as a fully enclosed pie. The technique of marinating meat in local white wines and finishing with cream reflects rural preservation habits and festive cooking. Over time, the dish became a celebratory centerpiece across villages, related to but clearly different from the open-faced quiche lorraine and the slimmer pâté lorrain.