Natchitoches Meat Pies

We offer to cook Natchitoches Meat Pies. These meat pies are a regional dish that contains the Native American and Spanish heritage of central Louisiana (USA).

Ingredients:

Meat pie filling

• 1 teaspoon oil
• 500 g ground beef
• 200 g ground pork
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (4-6 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted beef broth
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons margarine (you can take coconut or butter)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• Oil, for deep frying

Preparation:

1. To make the filling, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef and pork and cook until browned, stirring as needed, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the onion, green onions, bell pepper, celery, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and continue to cook, stirring as needed, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and broth, bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat, add hot sauce and let the filling cool completely. The filling can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
4. To make the dough, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut the cold butter/margarine into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until you get a thick but pliable dough. Form the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disc. You can use it immediately or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
6. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 190°C. Place a rack on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
7. Cut the dough into 24 equal pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece to form 13-15 cm circles. Place 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture slightly off-center on the dough circle. Fold the dough so that the edges meet, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
8. Fry the meat pies in batches until golden brown on both sides for about 3 minutes. Transfer the pies to the rack to drain.

Natchitoches Meat Pies are ready. Serve them hot. Enjoy your meal!