Natchitoches Meat Pies

• 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

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 350u0b0; quickly fry each pie until golden, about 2 minutes on each side, and drain briefly on paper towels; serve hot.

filling, peanut oil, ground chuck, ground pork, scallion, garlic, salt, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, flour, pastry, flour, baking powder, salt, vegetable shortening, egg, milk, peanut oil

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/natchitoches-meat-pies-390923 (may not work)