Natchitoches Meat Pies

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"A wildly popular treat from Natchitoches, Louisiana--the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. To get the real thing, stop by Lasyone's if you are ever in the area. The recipe is a closely guarded secret. Here is an interpretation by James Villas, in his book, The Glory of Southern Cooking."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs
• Ingredients: 16
• Yields: 18 pies

ingredients

• Filling

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3⁄4 lb ground chuck
• 3⁄4 lb ground pork
• 1⁄2 cup chopped scallion (part of green tops included)
• 1 -2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• Pastry

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1⁄3 cup milk
• 1 cup peanut oil, for frying

directions

1. Make the filling: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add in beef, pork, scallions, and garlic; cook/stir and break up the meats, until the beef loses its red color.
2. Add in the remaining filling ingredients; continue to cook and stir, until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer to a bowl, let cool, then chill.
4. Make the pastry: sift the flour,baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl, add in the shortening, and cut with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
5. Add in the egg and milk; stir until a ball of dough forms.
6. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, roll out about 1/2 inch thick, and using the lid of a coffee can, cut out rounds of dough.
7. To assmble: place a heaping tablespoon of filling on one side of each round of dough; with your fingertips, dampen the pie edges with water, fold the other sides of dough over the filling, and seal the edges with a fork dipped in water; prick twice with a fork on top.
8. To fry: heat the oil in a medium cast-iron skillet to about 350°; quickly fry each pie until golden, about 2 minutes on each side, and drain briefly on paper towels; serve hot.