Meatloaf en Croûte
When Brigitte and Ricardo have people over, they love to serve dinner family-style. That way everyone can serve themselves and focus on enjoying each other’s company. At Christmastime, they typically serve a turkey as their big showstopper, but also this magnificent meatloaf en croûte. The classic French recipe demands quite a bit of expertise, but […]
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (225 g) cold butter, thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) ice water
- 6 carrots, peeled
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 20 saltine crackers, finely crushed
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
- 1 lb (450 g) ground venison or ground beef
- 1 lb (450 g) ground pork
- 1/2 cup (35 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and rub between your fingertips, incorporating the mixture as you work, until the butter forms flaky pieces. Gradually add the water and combine until just moistened. Pieces of butter will remain and the dough will be soft and sticky.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 8 x 13-inch (20 x 33 cm) rectangle. Brush off any excess flour. Fold the dough into thirds lengthwise, then fold it onto itself to create a square. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
When Brigitte and Ricardo have people over, they love to serve dinner family-style. That way everyone can serve themselves and focus on enjoying each other’s company. At Christmastime, they typically serve a turkey as their big showstopper, but also this magnificent meatloaf en croûte. The classic French recipe demands quite a bit of expertise, but this express version is almost as easy as making a traditional meatloaf! The key is the easy-as-pie dough: a sort of hybrid between short crust and puff pastry, with an amazing buttery crunch. Would it be bragging to say it’s one of the best crusts we’ve ever tasted?