recipe-a-week #23: rappie pie (or, rapure)

Like any casserole-type dish, it's difficult to take a pretty picture of rappie (pronounced 'raw-pee', har har, emphasis on 'raw') pie, or 'rapure', as it's known in French. It looks like slimy goo. Or some other worse things I won't describe. So I took a video clip for you instead. (I'm getting over a cold, so my voice is a bit rough in the video.) Despite how vile and alien-like it appears, no less than five non-members of our household enjoyed some of the spoils since yesterday and said that this was a delicious rappie pie. I'm tickled.

So what exactly is rappie pie? It's a traditional Acadian dish (my mom's Acadian), which is essentially potatoes and chicken. Back in the day, people would have grated their own potatoes and pressed out the liquid; now, we can buy 'rappie pie mix' (which isn't really a mix; all that's in it is the potato starch with the liquid removed, saving hours of torment) at local grocery stores. So unless you're inclined to do the grating or are local, you're probably not going to be too keen on making this recipe. If you're in Nova Scotia, you can buy the D'Eon's mix at these locations. But even if you'll never make it, I wanted to share it with you anyway, because it's the very best comfort food, and will give you an excuse to come and visit.

Rappie Pie

1 large bag Rappie Pie mix
1 whole chicken
2-3 onions (I used a bunch of three from the farmer's market, tops and all)
butter
salt, pepper

*Note: this will feed an army. Of course, you could buy a smaller package and halve the recipe, which would feed approximately half an army.

In a large pot, boil chicken with onions, salt and pepper until cooked. Discard onions and pick apart the chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a huge bowl, break up rappie pie mix, and slowly pour in hot broth, for a total of approximately 20 cups of liquid. Add in 1/2 cup of butter, and a bit more salt and pepper. Stir well. Pour half of the mixture into a huge pan (12x18), spread chicken on top, and pour the rest of the potato mixture on top. Bake at 350 for three hours. The top will become brown and crusty and perfect. My favourite way to eat it is with butter and molasses. Some people prefer only butter; some, only molasses. I prefer both. Sweet and salty, YUM!

Note 2: maybe not the best idea to have the oven on all day on a hot summer day, because of choosing to make bread and rappie pie in tandem.

Note 3: I know that I'm cramming in lots of recipes this week, rather than spreading them out as I had originally intended. I'm hoping to end up with 52 in December, one way or another. I seem to be on a cooking kick at the moment. I'm sure that will change shortly; I can sense a sewing kick coming on.