The Natchitoches (*NAK-uh-tush*) meat pie — a half-moon shaped, deep-fried hand pie filled with seasoned ground beef and pork — is the signature food of Natchitoches, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territory (established 1714). The meat pie tradition in Natchitoches predates the Cajun settlement of southern Louisiana and reflects the Creole fusion of the northern part of the state: French pastry technique, Spanish *empanada* influence, and the indigenous and African filling traditions that shaped the specific seasoning. Lasyone's Meat Pie Restaurant, operating since 1967 on Second Street in Natchitoches, is the most famous purveyor and the standard against which all others are measured.
A crescent-shaped hand pie, approximately 15cm long, with a thin, golden, slightly sweet pastry shell that shatters when bitten, enclosing a filling of seasoned ground beef and pork with the trinity, garlic, cayenne, and black pepper. The filling should be moist but not wet — the meat mixture cooked and seasoned before filling so the pastry doesn't become soggy. The crust should be thin enough that the first bite goes cleanly through both pastry and filling.
Hot sauce on the side for dipping. The pie is self-contained — pastry, meat, seasoning, fat all in one package. A cold drink. At Lasyone's, the meat pie comes with dirty rice and coleslaw — the three together constitute the Natchitoches lunch.
1) The dough is slightly sweet — a small amount of sugar in the pastry dough (not enough to make it dessert-sweet, but enough that the crust has a faint sweetness that balances the spicy, savoury filling). This sweetness is what distinguishes the Natchitoches meat pie from a standard empanada. 2) The filling must be cooked and cooled before assembly. Raw meat filling in a fried pie cooks unevenly — the exterior pastry burns before the centre reaches safe temperature. Pre-cooking the filling also allows the seasonings to meld and the excess moisture to cook off. 3) Deep-fry at 175°C until deeply golden — 3-4 minutes, turning once. The oil temperature must be consistent; too hot and the pastry browns before the filling heats through; too cool and the pastry absorbs oil and becomes greasy. 4) Seal the edges completely — fork-crimped or hand-pressed. Any gap allows oil to enter during frying and the filling to leak out.
The meat pie is a hand food — eaten out of a napkin, while walking, at a festival, standing in line at Lasyone's. It does not want a plate, a fork, or a table. The Natchitoches Christmas Festival (since 1927) is where the meat pie reaches its ceremonial status — tens of thousands served during the festival, eaten while watching the fireworks over the Cane River. Baked versions exist (and are marketed as healthier) but the fried version is the original and the one that Natchitoches claims. The crust's texture after baking is different — softer, less shattering, lacking the specific crunch that the hot oil produces. The meat pie can be assembled and frozen before frying. Fry directly from frozen — add 1-2 minutes to the fry time. This makes the meat pie a practical make-ahead food, which is how most Natchitoches families handle holidays and gatherings.
Raw filling in the pie — produces undercooked meat or overcooked pastry. Always pre-cook. Dough too thick — the pie becomes bready and heavy. The dough should be rolled thin (2-3mm) so the filling dominates. Under-seasoning the filling — the pastry shell insulates and moderates the seasoning. What tastes properly seasoned at room temperature will taste slightly mild inside a fried crust. Season 15-20% more aggressively than instinct suggests.
John Folse — Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine; Poppy Tooker — Louisiana Eats!