Canadian National Dishes

Acadian Cipâte (Layered Meat and Potato Pie)

Make a New Brunswick Acadian holiday pie with tender cubes of beef, pork and chicken, potatoes and onions tucked between six pastry layers. The covered pie bakes slowly until the filling is tender and the pastry has absorbed the savoury broth. Plan ahead: the meat marinates overnight and the pie spends most of a day in the oven.

Canadian National Dishes
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Wide dining-table view of a New Brunswick Acadian cipâte in its pot, with a cut serving showing the layered filling.
The deep pie is served in generous portions at the table.
Prep 60 minutes
Cook 7 hours 40 minutes
Total 32 hours 55 minutes
Calories About 720 kcal per portion
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Acadian Cipâte (Layered Meat and Potato Pie)

Cipâte, also called cipaille or six-pâtes, is a deep layered meat pie associated with French-Canadian and Acadian cooking. This edition follows the Acadian New Brunswick version described for Madawaska and the Appalachian–Restigouche area: cubed meats, potatoes and onions baked with several layers of pastry in a covered pot. It is distinct from a ground-pork tourtière. Families vary the meats and construction; this home version uses beef, pork and chicken and six pastry layers.

The long, covered bake lets the meat soften and the pastry layers take on broth. Marinating the meat and onions overnight seasons them throughout. The pie is substantial, so serve it as the centrepiece with pickles or a simple salad if desired.

Practical

Practical

  • Cut the beef, pork and chicken into similar 2 cm cubes so they cook evenly. Keep the marinade covered in the refrigerator for the full 24 hours.
  • Roll the pastry thinly and keep it cool. Six layers may be broad overlapping sheets sized to fit the pot; the upper pastry should sit above the liquid.
  • Pour the reserved marinade and extra broth down the side of the pot. Add only enough liquid to come close to the top of the filling without submerging the top pastry.
  • Keep the pot tightly covered during the long bake. Use a digital thermometer to check several thick pieces of chicken and pork before serving.
Ingredients

Ingredients

For the meat filling

  • 454 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 454 g pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 454 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 450 g yellow onions, diced
  • 900 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 2 g ground black pepper

For the marinade and braising liquid

  • 500 mL low-sodium chicken broth, chilled
  • 500 mL low-sodium beef broth, chilled
  • 1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 42 g; check the label for allergens
  • 500 mL low-sodium chicken broth, for layering; use only enough to nearly reach the top of the filling

For the pastry

  • 500 g all-purpose flour
  • 24 g baking powder
  • 8 g fine salt
  • 280 g cold lard, cut into cubes
  • 250 mL cold milk, added gradually
Directions

Directions

Method

  1. Marinate the meatCombine the beef, pork, chicken and diced onions in a covered non-reactive bowl. Whisk together the 500 mL chicken broth, 500 mL beef broth and onion soup mix; pour over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Keep raw meat contained and separate from ready-to-eat food.

  2. Make the pastryWhisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold lard until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the cold milk gradually, just until a soft dough comes together. Divide into six equal portions, cover and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

  3. Prepare the fillingDrain the meat and onions over a bowl, reserving all the marinade. Fold the meat and onions together with the potatoes and pepper. Heat the oven to 177°C (350°F).

  4. Layer the pieDivide the filling into six equal portions. Roll each dough portion into a thin sheet sized for the Dutch oven. Starting with filling, alternate one portion of filling and one pastry sheet six times, finishing with a pastry sheet as the top cover. Make a small steam vent. Do not line the bottom of the bare pot with dough.

  5. Add liquid and bakePour the reserved marinade and the extra 500 mL chicken broth down the inside edge of the pot, using only enough liquid to come close to the top of the filling without covering the upper pastry. Cover tightly with foil, then the lid. Bake for 40 minutes at 177°C (350°F). Without opening the pot, reduce the oven to 121°C (250°F) and bake for 7 hours.

  6. Check doneness and restCarefully uncover. Check several thick pieces with a clean digital thermometer: chicken must reach 74°C and pork 71°C. The potatoes should be tender and the filling bubbling. If any temperature is short, reseal and bake in 20-minute increments, checking again. If liquid is low before the meat reaches a safe temperature, add hot broth down the edge. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Practical

Practical

Serving

Spoon or cut deep portions so each includes meat, potatoes and pastry. Pickles or a simple salad make a fresh contrast and are not included in the yield or nutrition estimate.

Make-ahead

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in covered shallow containers at 4°C or colder and use within 3 days. Reheat portions until the centre reaches 74°C. Do not leave the pie at room temperature for extended serving.

Storage and reheating

The meat and onions can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead, as directed. The pie is best baked on the day it will be served; leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.

Control points

Control points

  • The pastry is sticky while rollingChill it briefly and lightly flour the work surface.
  • The liquid is about to cover the top pastryLadle off a little before sealing the pot; the top layer should sit above the braising liquid.
  • The centre is not at a safe temperature after the long bakeReseal and continue in 20-minute increments, checking several meat pieces with a thermometer.
  • The liquid gets low before the meat is safeAdd hot broth down the edge of the pot, keeping the top pastry as dry as possible.
Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Serving sizeOne-twelfth of the pie, about 300 g
  • Calories720 kcal
  • Carbohydrate54 g
  • Protein34 g
  • Fat39 g
  • Fibre4 g
  • Sodium950 mg

Rounded ingredient-based estimate using generic food-composition values for the meats, potatoes, pastry ingredients and approximate onion soup mix and broth. Meat trimming, brands, broth retained, evaporation and portion size vary; this is not a laboratory analysis or product-label value.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat and milk in the pastry. Onion soup mix and broth brands vary, so check labels for additional allergens and cross-contact statements. Marinate meat and chicken under refrigeration at 4°C or colder and keep them separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, tools and surfaces after handling raw meat. Use a clean thermometer and check several thick pieces: chicken must reach 74°C and pork 71°C. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4°C or colder, use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C.

FAQ

FAQ

Is cipâte the same as tourtière?

Not in this version. Cipâte is a deep layered pie with cubed meats, potatoes and pastry. Tourtière commonly refers to a shallower pie made with ground pork; names and styles vary by region.

Can I use venison?

Some Acadian and Québec family versions include game. This formula is written for beef, pork and chicken. Game meat has different safety guidance, so it needs a separately checked recipe rather than a direct swap.

Acadian Cipâte (Layered Meat and Potato Pie)

Acadian Cipâte (Layered Meat and Potato Pie)

  • Marinate beef, pork and chicken with onions overnight, then layer them with potatoes and pastry.
  • Bake the covered pie slowly until the meat is tender and the chicken and pork reach safe temperatures.