Cipaille, also known as "cipâtes" or "six-pâtes," is a traditional dish from the Gaspésie region of Québec. This recipe derives from the old English dish "Sea Pie,” which is also how “Cipaille” is pronounced. This is a perfect make-ahead and reheat dish designed to feed a lot of people. If you’re looking for a warm hug in a pot or comfort food on a cold day, cipaille is the perfect dish. Every family and region in Québec have their own version with different spices and ingredients—this is our family's recipe. This recipe is easy to adjust to personal taste and meats on hand; just keep the meat portions the same and ensure you have a fatty piece of pork to add moisture.
Ingredients:
- 3.5 lbs yellow-fleshed potatoes (Yukon Gold), cubed
- 2 white onions, diced
- 1 lbs pheasant, cubed
- 1 lbs goose, cubed
- 1lbs moose, cubed
- 2lbs pork (fatty piece), cubed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp cinnamon (½ tsp per layer)
- garlic, minced
- ½ tsp allspice (¼ tsp per layer)
- 2 L chicken broth
- 2 pre-made 9" pie crust
Directions:
The night before:
- Cube meat and separate it into containers. Dice onions and mince garlic, add even amounts to meat with salt and pepper and put it in the fridge overnight to marinate.
- Peel potatoes, and place them in a bowl with water and salt overnight.
Day of cooking:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF
- Cube potatoes.
- In an ovenproof pot with a lid, place a row of mixed meat and potatoes, sprinkle ½ tsp. of cinnamon and ¼ tsp. of allspice, and cover with pie crust. Leave a hole in the middle of the crust.
- Place remainder of meat, potatoes, and spices as the next layer.
- Pour chicken broth over the mixture and top with the last pie crust leaving a hole in the middle of the crust.
- Cover the pot and place it in the oven to cook for 1.5 hours, then lower the temperature to 325ºF and cook for another 1.5 hours. Finally, lower the temperature once more to 250ºF and cook for 1.5 hours. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes.
- Check the amount of broth once or twice during cooking and add more if necessary.
- Let it sit for an hour before serving or let it cool and reheat another day. It keeps well in the freezer for last-minute meals.