Natchitoches Meat Pies
(Pronounced NACK-uh-tush)
24 Pies
These spicy fried pies originated in the 1700's in
Natchitoches, Louisiana where street vendors chanted, "Hotta meat
pies! Get your hotta meat pies right
here!" The street vendors are
gone, but the town holds a festival in September every year in honor of their
famous meat pies.
New Orleans has adapted these pies and they appear on many of
the restaurant menus throughout the city.
The pies make great appetizers when made half size, and they
can be made ahead and frozen.
Filling
3/4 pound
lean ground beef, (not extra lean)
3/4 pound
ground pork
1 cup
finely chopped onions
1/4 cup
finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup
chopped green pepper
1/2 cup
chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon
salt
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons
Cajun seasoning, (less for milder pies)
1/4 teaspoon
cayenne
1 tablespoon
garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon
flour
1 cup
beef broth, (bouillon is okay)
Crust
4 cups
flour
1 teaspoon
salt
1 teaspoon
baking powder
1/2 cup
lard, or vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 to 1 1/4 cups
milk
oil
for deep frying
Brown the ground beef and pork in a large skillet, stirring to
break up the bits. Add the onions,
peppers, celery, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring
occasionally, until the vegetables are wilted; add the garlic and cook 1 minute
longer. Sprinkle the flour over the
mixture and stir to incorporate. Whisk
in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until
the mixture thickens slightly. Remove
from the heat and cool completely.
Crust: Combine the dry
ingredients in a large mixer bowl. Cut
in the lard or shortening until it resembles small peas. Mix the egg and milk. Add to the dry
ingredients and mix until dough just comes together. Don't overwork the dough;
it will be quite stiff.
Cut the dough in half then roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness
on a floured cloth. Cut into 3 inch circles and stack. Take each circle and roll out to 1/8"
thickness, between 5 and 6 inches.
Assembly: Place 2
heaping tablespoons of the cooled mixture onto each circle. With your finger
wet the edge with a little water, fold over and crimp with a fork. Set aside on
parchment until ready to fry.
Heat a deep fryer with oil to 360°. Fry the meat pies in small batches until golden brown on each
side. Serve with Cajun Tartar Sauce.