Canadian National Dishes

Cipâte du Bas-Saint-Laurent

This deep Bas-Saint-Laurent cipâte is built in three layers of pork, beef, chicken and potato, with small pastry squares between the filling strata and a pastry lid on top. It borrows a documented Bas-du-Fleuve method while scaling it for a home casserole. Family recipes vary in meat, spices and pastry arrangement. Serve hot in deep portions.

Canadian National Dishes
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Wide view of a Bas-Saint-Laurent cipâte in a casserole, with a serving cut to reveal its layers.
A broad table view frames the casserole and its exposed meat-and-potato layers.
Prep 60 minutes
Cook About 270 minutes
Total About 1,110 minutes (18 hours 30 minutes)
Calories About 740 kcal per portion
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Cipâte du Bas-Saint-Laurent

Cipâte is a substantial eastern Québec casserole of meat pieces, potatoes, broth and pastry layers. This Bas-Saint-Laurent adaptation uses pork, beef and chicken, arranged with diced potatoes in a deep covered pot. Small pastry squares separate the filling strata, and a larger sheet seals the top. The precise number of layers and the name cipâte, cipaille or six-pâtes vary by region and household; this version is distinct from New Brunswick Acadian rank-15 cipâte, which follows a six-sheet formula.

Practical

Practical

  • Marinate the meat under refrigeration for the full 12 hours so the seasoning reaches the cubes.
  • Cut potatoes evenly and keep the dough chilled; warm pastry is harder to layer cleanly.
  • Add warm stock only to the level of the filling, leaving the top pastry above the liquid.
  • Keep the casserole sealed through the slow bake, then check the center with a thermometer and test the meat and potatoes for tenderness.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Meat and marinade

  • 550 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 550 g boneless beef chuck, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 500 g boneless chicken breast, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 200 g yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 8 g fine salt
  • 3 g ground black pepper
  • 6 g Québec-style mixed meat seasoning, without added salt

Pastry

  • 500 g all-purpose flour, plus a little for rolling
  • 7.5 g fine salt
  • 165 g chilled vegetable shortening
  • 125 ml cold milk, added gradually

Layering

  • 1500 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
  • 1250 ml low-sodium chicken stock, warmed
Directions

Directions

Method

  1. Marinate the meatIn a covered non-reactive bowl, combine the pork, beef, chicken, onion, 8 g salt, pepper and mixed seasoning. Refrigerate for 12 hours, stirring once if convenient.

  2. Make the pastryMix the flour and pastry salt. Cut in the chilled shortening until coarse crumbs form. Add the cold milk gradually, mixing just until the dough holds together. Divide into three pieces, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

  3. Prepare the potatoes and first layerHeat the oven to 180°C. Peel and cut the potatoes. In a deep 6 L oven-safe casserole, spread about one third of the marinated meat mixture, then one third of the potatoes. Roll two dough portions thinly and cut them into roughly 5 cm squares.

  4. Build the strataArrange one layer of dough squares over the first meat-and-potato layer, leaving small gaps. Repeat the meat, potato and dough-square layers once. Add the remaining meat and potatoes as a third filling layer. Pour in the warmed stock so it just reaches the top of the filling without covering where the pastry lid will sit.

  5. Seal and slow-bakeRoll the final dough portion into a circle, place it over the casserole and seal it to the rim. Cut a small central steam vent. Cover the casserole tightly with its lid or foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C, then lower to 140°C and bake covered for about 3 hours 45 minutes. Check the broth level once; add only hot stock if the filling becomes exposed. Uncover for the final 15 minutes if the lid pastry needs more color, bringing the low-heat stage to 4 hours and total cooking to about 270 minutes. Confirm the center reaches at least 74°C and the meat and potatoes are tender. Time is an estimate; use a clean digital thermometer.

  6. Rest and serveRest the cipâte for 30 minutes before serving in deep portions. Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Practical

Practical

Serving

Keep raw pork, beef and chicken refrigerated during the 12-hour marinade and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling raw meat and poultry. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep them at or below 4°C and use within 3 days, or freeze. Reheat leftovers to 74°C. The meat combination can vary by household, but game meat requires a suitable safe-temperature check and changes the nutrition estimate. Fruit ketchup, pickles or a simple salad are optional accompaniments and are not included in the yield or nutrition estimate. Check seasoning and stock labels for additional allergens.

Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Serving sizeOne tenth of the deep pie, approximately 450–500 g
  • CaloriesAbout 740 kcal
  • CarbohydrateAbout 65 g
  • ProteinAbout 39 g
  • FatAbout 35 g
  • FibreAbout 4 g
  • SodiumAbout 800 mg

Rounded ingredient-based estimate including the pastry, all added salt and low-sodium stock. Meat cuts, stock sodium, pastry scraps and serving size vary; it is not a laboratory analysis.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat (gluten) and milk. Check the mixed seasoning and stock labels for additional allergens. Keep raw meat chilled and separate from ready-to-eat food. Cook the center to at least 74°C, measured with a clean digital thermometer; tenderness and color are additional cues, not substitutes. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep at or below 4°C and use within 3 days or freeze. Reheat to 74°C.

Closing notes

Closing notes

  • For intact strata: let the casserole rest for 30 minutes before cutting.
  • For safe leftovers: cool portions in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly.