Natchitoches meat pie facts for kids
Natchitoches meat pie with New Orleans beans and rice
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| Type | Pie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Louisiana |
| Main ingredients | Pie shell, ground beef, ground pork, onions, peppers, garlic, oil |
The Natchitoches meat pie is a tasty dish from northern Louisiana, United States. It is so special that it's one of the official state foods of Louisiana. Imagine a delicious, savory pie that's easy to hold and eat!
What is a Natchitoches Meat Pie?
A Natchitoches meat pie is like a small, folded pastry. It has a yummy meat filling inside a crescent-shaped, flaky crust. It's often compared to a Spanish picadillo beef empanada. You can find similar pies in many places that were once part of the Spanish Empire. For example, it's almost the same as the traditional ground beef empanada from Argentina.
The pie is popular all over Louisiana. The ones from southern Louisiana are usually spicier than those from the north. Even though you can find them in New Orleans today, an old cookbook from 1901 didn't have a recipe for them. This suggests the pies spread south from Northern Louisiana over time. You can even find them at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!
What's Inside a Natchitoches Meat Pie?
The main ingredients for these pies are ground beef and ground pork. They also include onions, peppers, garlic, and a special pie crust. These pies are often fried in peanut oil. Peanut oil is used because it can get very hot without smoking, which is perfect for frying.
In modern recipes, cooks often mix ground pork or pork sausage with the beef to add more flavor. Onions, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley give the pie a great smell and taste. A little bit of ground black pepper and cayenne pepper is added for a gentle kick, but not too much spice. Flour is mixed into the browned meat and vegetable filling. This helps to thicken it and hold it together.
The meat filling can be used in other dishes, like tacos or tamales. But the special wheat crust is what makes a Natchitoches meat pie unique. A traditional pie weighs about 4 ounces. It's made with a dough circle that's about 5 to 6 inches wide. People often use an empty coffee can to cut the dough circles! For the best flavor, the meat filling is usually made the day before. Also, the filling, dough, and tools should be kept cold when you're putting the pies together. If the filling is warm, the dough might fall apart.
History and Popularity
In the early 1900s, people often sold meat pies from their homes or from carts on the street. By 1967, Natchitoches meat pies were being made in bigger kitchens. Today, you can even order them online!
Louisiana Public Broadcasting showed a program in 2007 about how to make these pies. It's available on a DVD called "A Taste of Louisiana with Chef John Folse & Company: Our Food Heritage - The Spanish Shows."
There's even an annual Meat Pie Festival held in September! This festival celebrates the Natchitoches meat pie with cooking demonstrations, a meat pie cook-off, live music, and more fun activities.
