I absolutely love Natchitoches meat pies!  I used to always grab one when I gassed up the car or truck on the way to school.  It was also one of the first things my wife had when she visited me New Orleans the first time.  Her first meal was a Natchitoches meat pie and Boudin.  Yeah, I welcomed her in style. <insert laugh emoji here>. I’m calling these “Not Natchitoches Meat Pies;” because in true “Tony style,” I’m making this as my own take on the dish without taking away much from what it’s supposed to be. One thing I’m doing differently is that I’m using a premade pie dough.  Mostly because pastry is not my strong suit but also to show how this can be made much quicker. Not to mention, I just don’t feel like cleaning up the flowers bomb that happens when I bake. I will also be frying half of these and baking half to show the difference. I prefer mine baked to save on calories. This dish is nothing complicated; as a matter of fact, it’s quite simple.  It just takes time. 

To make these we’ll need:

Holy trinity:

1 Diced onion

1 Diced celery rib

1 diced bell pepper 

3-4 toes of

Minced garlic 

1 pound of ground beef 

1 pound of ground pork sausage of your choice – I’m using hot Italian since Cajun sausage is unavailable 

Parsley 

2 green onions diced 

2 tablespoons flour 

Beef stock 

Egg wash

Canola oil or frying oil of your choice 

Pie dough made or

Purchased 

If you make the dough use 

1 stick butter 

8 tablespoons shortening 

Cold water 

2.5 cups of flour 

2 tablespoons of sugar 

To make the stuffing

Brown the meat the remove from pan. 

In the same pan add in the trinity and cook down removing fond from pan.  When the vegetables are soft add in the garlic, parsley  and green onion. Once they are all cooked and worked in add back the meat and reheat.  While stirring the meat drop in the flour and work into a roux, then add in the stock to form a thick gravy and help hold the stuffing together. 

Lay out the pie crust and cut into circles.  

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center then brush the exposed pie crust with egg wash and fold over.  Crimp the ends with a fork and pop 2-3 holes on top with the fork.  (These are to let the stuffing vent and not push the pie crust open.)

You can fry at 375 or bake at 375.

If frying they will float when they are golden brown and done.  If baking, let them bake for 15-20 minutes.  

I like to serve mine with a ranch dressing as a dipping sauce, and I add some onion powder, garlic powder and green onion to the dressing. 

My personal recipe for Cajun seasoning:

1.5 part paprika – smoked 

1 part black pepper (half coarse ground and half fine ground) 

.5 part salt

.5 part cayenne-more if you want spicier- less if you want less spicy 

.5 part thyme

.5 part oregano 

.5 part white pepper 

.5 part onion powder 

.5 part garlic powder