Natchitoches Meat Pies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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.
Add in the remaining filling ingredients; continue to cook and stir, until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, let cool, then chill.
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.
Add in the egg and milk; stir until a ball of dough forms.
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.
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.
To fry: heat the oil in a medium cast-iron skillet to about 350\u00b0; quickly fry each pie until golden, about 2 minutes on each side, and drain briefly on paper towels; serve hot.