1 ts Vegetable oil
1 lb Ground Italian sausage
(or any spicy pork sausage)
1 c Chopped onions
1/2 c Chopped bell pepper
1/2 c Chopped celery
Salt; to taste
Emeril’s Essence; see * Note
Cayenne pepper; to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper;
-to taste
1 tb Chopped garlic
1 tb Flour
1 c Water
1/4 c Chopped green onions
1 c Cooked long grain white rice
4 oz Grated Maytag White Cheddar
-cheese
=== PASTRY FOR PORK PIES ===
3 c Flour
1 1/2 ts Salt
3/4 ts Baking powder
6 tb Solid vegetable shortening
1 Egg
1/4 c Milk
Solid vegetable shortening;
-for deep-frying
* Note: See the “Emeril’s Essence Information” recipe which is included in
this collection.
Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and brown
the sausage, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt,
Emeril’s Essence, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until
the vegetables are wilted, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2
to 3 minutes. Dissolve the flour in the water and add to the meat mixture.
Stir until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from the
heat and add the green onions and rice. Mix well and let cool. Stir in the
cheese. For the pastry: Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a
mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening unit it resembles coarse meal. In a
small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Gradually add the egg mixture to
the flour mixture, working it to make a thick dough. Divide the dough into
12 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough pieces into
thin rounds, about 5 inches in diameter. Put about 1/4 cup of the mixture
in the center of each round, fold over and crimp the edges with a fork.
Heat the shortening in a deep pot or an electric deep-fryer to 360 degrees.
Fry the pies, two to three at a time, until golden brown. Drain on paper
towels and serve immediately. This recipe yields 12 small pies.
Yields
12 servings