Ingredients
Potatoes
- 5 kgfloury potatoes, peeled
Broth
- 1large chicken, jointed
- 2onions
- 2carrots
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tbspsalt
- 2 litreswater
Also
- 200 gsalt pork or bacon, diced
- 2onions, finely chopped
- salt and plenty of black pepper
To finish
- butter or salt pork fat, for the top
To serve
- molasses
- or butter
- or pickled beets
Equipment
- a cloth bag or several muslin squares
- a large deep baking dish
Directions
- Make the broth first and make it strong. Simmer the chicken with the onions, carrots, bay and salt for about an hour and a half, skimming.
- Make the broth stronger than you would drink. Lift the chicken out, pull the meat from the bones, and strain the broth. Keep the strained broth hot on the stove. Grate them finely, on the fine side of a box grater or in a processor, into a large bowl of cold water.
- Work quickly and keep the grated potato under water, because it turns grey and then brown within minutes of exposure. Twist the cloth and squeeze with everything you have. Squeeze it genuinely dry, until no more liquid comes out at all. This is the step the dish stands on, and half-hearted wringing gives a wet grey mess. Put the dry potato in a very large bowl. The broth must be boiling.
- Beat it continuously as you add, and it will change consistency in front of you. It goes from white and crumbly to grey-beige, glossy and elastic, almost like a thick wallpaper paste.
- Keep adding broth until it is the consistency of a very thick batter that falls slowly from the spoon. Season it hard with salt and a great deal of black pepper. Season generously, because a large quantity of plain potato needs far more than you expect.
- Fry the diced salt pork until it renders, then soften the chopped onions in the fat. Spread half the potato mixture in a large deep buttered dish. Scatter the pulled chicken and the onions over. Cover with the remaining potato mixture and level it. That fat on top is what makes the crust, and a mean hand here gives a pale soft top instead of the crisp golden one people want.
- Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Bake it long. The top should be deep golden and genuinely crisp, and the inside soft and almost gelatinous. Rest it 15 minutes and serve it in squares, hot.
Technique
- It is exhausting to make by hand and is usually made in large quantities for a crowd.
- The potato water can be left to settle and the starch reclaimed, which some cooks do.
- It reheats well and the crust crisps again in a hot oven.
Substitutions
- A food processor for grating, which saves a great deal of work.
- Clams and their liquor in place of chicken and broth.
Variations
- Made with clams, which is the coastal version.
- With rabbit or beef.
- Served with molasses, which is the traditional accompaniment.
History
Acadian râpure from southwest Nova Scotia; the potatoes are wrung out in cloth and rebuilt with hot stock.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rappie pie?
Rappie pie is a main from Canada: grated potato squeezed dry, soaked in broth and baked over chicken or clams. Acadian râpure from southwest Nova Scotia; the potatoes are wrung out in cloth and rebuilt with hot stock.
How long does Rappie pie take to make?
Rappie pie takes 1 hr 30 min of preparation and 2 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Rappie pie?
Yes, within limits. A food processor for grating, which saves a great deal of work. Clams and their liquor in place of chicken and broth.
What is the most important thing to get right in Rappie pie?
Work quickly and keep the grated potato under water, because it turns grey and then brown within minutes of exposure. Twist the cloth and squeeze with everything you have. Squeeze it genuinely dry, until no more liquid comes out at all. This is the step the dish stands on, and half-hearted wringing gives a wet grey mess. Put the dry potato in a very large bowl. The broth must be boiling.
