Rustic Meat Pâté
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A hearty French-inspired rustic meat pâté using pork and celeriac with a crumbly, butter-rich crust. Incorporates warming spices and sweet dried apricots for a subtle twist. Cooked and assembled with textural contrasts—a tender, earthy filling under a crisp, golden pastry. Garnished with an acidic herb salad. Perfect for a casual dinner or unexpected guests.
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#French cuisine
#pastry
#pork recipes
#rustic cooking
#savory pie
Forget fuss and dainty slices; this rustic meat pâté is rough around the edges, bold in flavor, and packed with textures. Roasted celeriac brings earthy sweetness replacing some potato weight I usually find too bland. The usual dates swapped for apricots adds a bright, late summer note—try mixing any dried fruit you fancy but stay with firm ones to avoid sogginess. Ground pork—lean but not too dry—melding with onions, spices, and breadcrumbs to bind and weight the filling just right. Pastry? All about cold butter, cold water, minimum handling for crumbly but not tough crust. The secret’s letting the dough rest properly—rush it and you’ll bite into a fierce chew, no thanks. A quick zesty herb garnish—celery and cilantro—cuts through the richness for balance. Keep an eye on roast and bake times—minor shifts make or break texture.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 medium celeriac, peeled and diced small
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 400 g lean ground pork
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped (substitute dates)
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water, plus more as needed
- Milk, for brushing
Garnish
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (replace parsley)
About the ingredients
Celeriac, often overlooked in place of potato, roasts faster and holds up with a nuttier flavor; swap in turnip or kohlrabi if unavailable. Use chicken broth or sub vegetable broth to keep it mild. Ground pork: 85-90% lean works best for a moist filling—too lean and you’ll dry it out when cooking away broth. Breadcrumbs? Fresh, stale bread blitzed in blender is best; store-bought pantry crumbs work but can toughen filling. I replaced dates with dried apricots for brightness but figs or cherries could work for a twist. Allspice replaced cloves; less harsh, more aromatic. Butter must be cold, cubed and kept chilled, cutting in cold avoids greasy or tough pastry. Ice water crucial; never full water at room temp. Cilantro instead of parsley, adds unexpected punch to herb garnish. Lemon juice fresh, not bottled—acid soaks in and revives heavy mouthfeel. Olive oil for roasting and finishing adds fruity depth.
Method
Filling
- Set rack mid-oven; preheat to 205°C (400°F). Toss celeriac with 2 tbsp olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast on parchment-lined tray until fork-tender, about 23 minutes; watch for a little caramel in corners. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a hot skillet. Sweat onion till translucent, edges turning golden—aroma should build. Add pork, crumble as it browns but don’t overcook, leaving it slightly pink inside to keep moisture. Pour in broth. Stir in breadcrumbs, cinnamon, and allspice. Continue cooking on high, stirring often until liquid nearly evaporates and mixture feels thick and sticky—about 9 minutes. Salt and pepper well. Let cool completely.
Crust
- Pulse flour and salt together in food processor. Drop cold butter cubes in; blitz intermittently. You want pea-sized lumps, not a paste. Slowly add ice water while pulsing; stop as soon as dough just clumps together. If too crumbly, add water dropwise—too wet, tough crust. Turn dough out, form tight disk, wrap in plastic. Chill 25 minutes minimum for rest and butter to firm up.
Assembly
- Flour work surface lightly. Roll dough to about 35 cm (14 inches) diameter; rough circle is fine. Transfer carefully to parchment-lined sheet.
- Spread pork filling unevenly but staying 5 cm (2 inches) from edge. Scatter chopped apricots over meat. Spoon roasted celeriac over apricots to finish layering.
- Fold edges inward to make loose, messy pleats, leaving small hole exposed in center for steam. Don’t seal it airtight—that crust needs to breathe and brown. Too tight, pastry gets soggy underneath.
- Brush entire pastry with cold milk for that golden sheen. Pop into oven and bake about 33 minutes. Crust will hiss faintly as butter melts, edges should turn rich golden-brown, cracks and crispness visible. Bottom should slide slightly on tray when done.
Garnish
- Combine diced celery, lemon juice, olive oil, and cilantro in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter fresh herb salad atop the pâté right after removing from oven for a fresh, tangy crunch contrast.
Cooking tips
This feels like layers but really it’s a balancing act. Roast celeriac first: its softness and caramel should signal done. Overroasting means mush and watery filling. When sweating onions, wait for that audible sizzle and sweet smell before adding pork—it jumpstarts Maillard browning. Don’t overcrowd pan or meat steams. Adding broth after meat develops color prevents dryness but must cook down thoroughly so filling isn’t soupy; thick texture is key to hold shape when slicing. Pie dough relies on small butter bits to puff and flake; process with bursts to avoid overmixing. Resting dough in fridge is making your life easier—strictly don’t skip. Rolling crust a little thicker prevents breakage but not too thick or weight from filling sinks. Folding edges unevenly means rustic look; no perfection, don’t stress. Leaving center open vents steam preventing soggy bottom. Brush milk gently; water thins milk and loses gloss. Baking: watch edges’ color; too pale means underdone dough, too dark means overbaked filling inside. Listen for soft crackling as butter melts and pastry crisps. Rest a few minutes after baking for juices to redistribute. Herb garnish brings crunch and acidity counterpoint immediately, never toss it into oven or it wilts. Leftover pâté? Reheat gently or enjoy cold for stronger flavor contrasts.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Roast celeriac till fork-tender but watch for dark caramel spots. Those little corners tell you roast done. Don’t go mushy or watery or whole flavor drops. Cool fully before layering. Roast time varies with size; smaller cubes cook faster.
- 💡 Handle butter cold, cut into peas not a paste. Work quick with ice water pulse only enough to clump dough. Over-pulse and you get mush, no flake. Dough rest in fridge is non-negotiable for flaky edges. Wrap tight or butter absorbs fridge odors.
- 💡 When sweating onions, wait for edges to golden, smell deep caramel notes. Then add pork; keep heat high, brown not steam. Stir meat to crumble, color buildup adds flavor but stop short of dry. Pour broth trick helps keep moist inside.
- 💡 Filling needs thick consistency: cook down broth till sticky, no soup. Breadcrumbs bind moisture but use fresh or stale - old crunchy store crumbs dry. Spices cinnamon and allspice subtle, add depth not heat. Dried apricots bring chew and brightness, subs vary texture & sweetness.
- 💡 Folding crust edges uneven leaves rustic charm. Leave center hole for steam vent, avoid soggy base. Brush milk cold and thin to give sheen without puddles. Baking sound is subtle hiss then crackle; smell butter to judge doneness. Remove from sheet immediately when ready.
Common questions
Can I substitute pork?
Yes, turkey or chicken can swap in but adjust fat. Leaner meats dry faster, add bit more broth or butter in crust to compensate. Flavor shifts but texture manageable. Mixing meats works too.
What if dough cracks while rolling?
Chill more, let rest longer. Use minimal flour on surface. Too cold and brittle, warm a little before rolling. Patch tears with small dough pieces pressed gently. Flaky repairs hold bake fine.
How to avoid soggy bottom crust?
Vent center hole crucial for steam escape. Don’t seal edges tight. Preheat oven fully so bottom starts cooking immediately. Consider placing baking sheet low in oven. Don’t overload wet filling, thick helps freshness.
Storing leftovers?
Refrigerate airtight up to three days. Reheat slowly to keep crust crisp; oven or pan good, microwave makes pastry soggy fast. Freezing whole pie tricky; freeze filling separately if needed. Defrost fully before reheating.
