Baked Cajun Meat Pies
Ingredients
- 2.5 c Flour (Plain)
- 1 t Sugar (Granulated)
- 1 t salt
- 113 g unsalted butter, frozen
- 1/2 c milk
- Pork Filling:
- 1/4 c bacon drippings or lard
- 1/2 lb lean ground pork
- 1/4 c Flour (Plain)
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 T rubbed sage OR 1.5 T chopped fresh sage
- 2 T minced parsley, preferably flat-leaf
- 12 shucked oysters with their liquor (1 pint), finely chopped, liquor reserved
- 3/4 c Brown Veal & Pork Stock, or canned beef broth
- 1/2 t cayenne pepper
- salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
- To Make Pies:
- 2 T milk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
Method
To prepare Pastry:
In a food processor process flour, sugar, and salt until blended. Cut butter or margarine into 1” chunks; add to flour mixture. Process just until butter or margarine has been broken into pea-sized bits. Then, with motor running, pour milk through feed tube, processing just until dough begins to come together. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; shape into 2 flat pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, or up to 24 hours.
To prepare Filling:
Heat bacon drippings or lard in a heavy 10” skillet. When fat is hot, add pork. Cook, stirring, until all traces of pink are gone, 6-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place cooked pork into a medium bowl; set aside. Return skillet containing fat to medium heat. Add flour all at once; stir to blend. Cook, stirring constantly, until roux is a light peanut-butter color, about 15 minutes. Stir in reserved oyster liquid and stock. Cook over medium heat until mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add oysters; cook 2 minutes. Stir in reserved pork and seasonings. Spoon mixture into bowl. Refrigerate until chilled.
To complete pies:
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. On a floured surface, roll out 1 pastry piece to a 1/16” thick circle. Using a 4” round cutter, cut 12 circles from dough. Place a tablespoon of chilled mixture in center of each circle. In a small bowl, beat egg and milk until blended. Using a pastry brush, paint a ½” border of egg mixture around edge of each circle; fold dough in half, encasing filling. Seal edge with tines of a fork. Turn pie over; seal edge on opposite side. Place pies on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining pastry piece, reserving dough scraps. Gather up dough scraps; gently press together. Roll out pastry; cut and fill as before.
Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. Turn and bake until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
To freeze, cool completely on wire racks; place in plastic freezer bags. To serve, place frozen pies on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in preheated 350F (175C) oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.