This deep Prince Edward Island pie stacks thinly sliced potatoes with cheddar, thyme and chives, then wraps the layers in bacon. It is a documented contemporary Island recipe shared by the PEI Preserve Company, not a claim of one universal or ancient formula. A cool maple-bacon sauce is served alongside.
The pie bakes covered until the potato layers soften, then uncovered to brown the bacon. Use foil to cover the casserole; ordinary plastic wrap is not oven-safe. Let the pie rest before slicing so the layers hold together.
Prepare the potatoesHeat the oven to 200°C. Peel and slice the potatoes about 3 mm thick. Keep them in cold water while slicing, then drain and dry well with clean towels.
Line the dishChoose a deep 23 cm casserole. Lay the bacon slices across the base and up the sides, overlapping slightly and leaving enough overhang to fold across the top. Arrange the dish on a baking sheet.
Layer the fillingMake four layers of potato. On the first layer only, add the thyme. Between layers, add some cheddar, chives, salt and pepper. Build the centre slightly higher than the edge, as the potatoes settle while baking.
Wrap and bake coveredFold the bacon over the top and secure the centre with a wooden skewer. Cover the casserole tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours. Do not put plastic wrap in the oven.
Uncover and finish bakingRemove the foil and bake 30 minutes more, until a knife passes easily through the centre and the bacon is browned and cooked. Where a thermometer can be placed safely in the pork, verify at least 71°C. Rest the pie for 15 minutes before removing the skewer.
Make the sauce and serveWhisk the mayonnaise, sour cream and maple syrup together; fold in the cooked bacon bits. Keep the sauce refrigerated until serving. Cut the pie into six portions and serve warm with the sauce alongside.
The sauce can be mixed earlier and kept covered in the refrigerator. Keep raw bacon at or below 4°C, separate from ready-to-eat food, and wash hands and surfaces after handling it. The long bake and visual cues help, but use a clean thermometer to check the pork at 71°C where accessible. Refrigerate the mayonnaise sauce promptly. Refrigerate leftover pie within 2 hours (within 1 hour in hot outdoor conditions) and reheat to 74°C. Avoid leaving the pie at room temperature while it rests or is served.
Rounded estimate from generic food-composition data for potatoes, bacon, cheddar, mayonnaise, sour cream and maple syrup. Rendered bacon fat left in the dish may not be eaten; bacon and condiment labels vary. This is not a laboratory analysis.
Contains milk from cheddar and sour cream, and egg from mayonnaise; check product labels for additional allergens. Keep raw bacon refrigerated at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook pork to 71°C where a thermometer can be positioned safely. Use foil to cover the pie in the oven; ordinary plastic wrap must not be baked. Keep the sauce chilled. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour in hot outdoor conditions) and reheat to 74°C.
No. Use foil alone for oven baking; ordinary plastic wrap is not designed for oven heat. The pie stays covered for the first two hours and is uncovered for the final 30 minutes.
