I randomly caught the show Cook's Country on PBS the other day. While its not as flashy at today's Food Network stars, I really love the way they tell a story and give you all the techniques from their test kitchen. I saw this one and haven't made anything like it, so I decided to give it a try. It goes against my general rule about only posting my tried-and-true recipes. However, the experts in their test kitchen know what they're doing.
Natchitoches Meat Pies - The filling has a combination of pork and beef, a lovely blend of green peppers, onions and garlic, with a little cayenne for kick. They taste like something your Great Aunt would make on a Tuesday evening. Not special occasion food; just good, hearty, comfort food. I have zero changes to this recipe, but I do have a few notes to consider:
- These are fried. Frying is a little messy and smelly. Turn on the overhead vent and open the windows.
- They are messy and time consuming to prepare. But also kinda fun.
- Keep a thermometer on the pot the whole time and watch the temp carefully. It will fluctuate as you add and remove the pies. I overcooked a few when the heat got away from me.
- Don't let any of the above items deter you. These pies are worth it.
However, if you want a much healthier version, put this filling into the dough from our Pockets of Goodness and bake them.
Natchitoches Meat Pies
FILLING
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
6 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
DOUGH
4 cups (20 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
1. FOR THE FILLING: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, pork, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, scallion whites, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until vegetables are just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Return meat and any accumulated juices to skillet with vegetables. Sprinkle flour over meat and cook, stirring constantly, until evenly coated, about 1 minute. Add broth, bring to boil, and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer filling to bowl and stir in scallion greens. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
4. FOR THE DOUGH: Process flour, salt, and baking powder in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 6 to 8 pulses. Add broth and eggs and pulse until dough just comes together, about 5 pulses. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead until dough forms smooth ball, about 20 seconds. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. (Dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
5. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into 6-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Place ¼ cup filling in center of dough round. Brush edges of dough with water and fold dough over filling. Press to seal, trim any ragged edges, and crimp edges with tines of fork. Transfer to prepared sheet. (Filled pies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
6. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 quart oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Place 4 pies in oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side, using slotted spatula or spider to flip. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Transfer pies to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining pies. Serve.
This recipe is copied directly from Cook's Country.
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
6 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
DOUGH
4 cups (20 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
1. FOR THE FILLING: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, pork, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, scallion whites, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until vegetables are just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Return meat and any accumulated juices to skillet with vegetables. Sprinkle flour over meat and cook, stirring constantly, until evenly coated, about 1 minute. Add broth, bring to boil, and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer filling to bowl and stir in scallion greens. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
4. FOR THE DOUGH: Process flour, salt, and baking powder in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 6 to 8 pulses. Add broth and eggs and pulse until dough just comes together, about 5 pulses. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead until dough forms smooth ball, about 20 seconds. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. (Dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
5. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into 6-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Place ¼ cup filling in center of dough round. Brush edges of dough with water and fold dough over filling. Press to seal, trim any ragged edges, and crimp edges with tines of fork. Transfer to prepared sheet. (Filled pies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
6. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 quart oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Place 4 pies in oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side, using slotted spatula or spider to flip. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Transfer pies to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining pies. Serve.
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| Flaky and puffy inside with a nice crisp outside. |
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| My prep space - it got pretty messy. |
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| Finished product! Some are darker due to the fact that I let the oil get too hot. |
This recipe is copied directly from Cook's Country.
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