RAPPIE PIE (RÂPURE)
Rappie Pie is a favourite Acadian dish in Nova Scotia served at most special occasions and gatherings. While the preparation of Râpure is fairly similar in most regions, the various ingredients vary from one area to another and even from one family to another. Some Acadians add chicken, others add pork or seafood, and still others use only grated or mashed potatoes or sometimes day-old bread.

Ingredients

  1  chicken   

  3  large onions, chopped 

  12  potatoes, peeled  

  1/2 pound (250 g) salt pork fat, cubed

Directions

Cut the chicken into large pieces, and put them into a pot with just enough water to completely cover the meat. Add the onions and simmer until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken from the pot, and save the broth. Take the meat off of the bones, and cut it into small pieces.

Grate the potatoes. Extract all of the water from the potatoes by putting them in cheesecloth, or a cotton bag, and squeeze vigorously. Make sure the air doesn’t touch the potatoes or they will turn black.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Scald the potatoes in an amount of broth equal to about two-thirds of the water extracted from the potatoes. Blend the broth with potatoes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a heavy pot, sauté half of the cubed salt pork. Add half of the potato mixture, the chicken, and then cover with the remaining potato mixture. Cut the remaining salt pork into strips, and place them on the râpure.

 Bake for 2 1/2 hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the top is uniformly brown.

Variation

Replace the chicken with mussels, clams or hare.

ENJOY!