Jamaican Patties

Most people have had a Jamaican patty, but have you ever tried making them from scratch? These pastry wrapped bundles of spicy ground meat can be closely compared to a mini meat pie. While beef is the most common filling, chicken, vegetables, cheese or any combination of these are just as popular.

You can’t compare a homemade Jamaican patty to a frozen one that rolled across a conveyor in a factory. The crust is flakier and bakes with more bounce with the help of some leavening. The filling has heaps more substance and flavor (unlike the overly ground pasty goo you find in a commercial patty) and of course, you control how much spice goes in.

Jamaican patties are a perfect inclusion to your culinary repertoire. They can almost stand as a full meal, and if you include a few veggies in the filling they completely can. Make them smaller and they become the perfect appetizer (these are actually called cocktail patties). They also make great leftovers, saving the need to throw together your usual sandwich to pack in your lunchbox.

The dough is easy as pie—I mean literally! If you can make pie dough, then Jamaican patty dough will be a snap. The only addition is some baking powder and curry—plus a little pure turmeric to achieve the golden hue. Some recipes call for egg yolk to get this effect, but the turmeric is much more convenient.

Some recipes call for the addition of bread crumbs in the filling. Water is added to the meat mixture once everything is combined, then cooked further for a few minutes until most of it is absorbed. Then the breadcrumbs are added to soak up any leftover moisture. I’ve bypassed this step because I didn’t feel it was necessary.

Jamaican patties make a complete meal when served with some salad or marinated vegetables. Their size can be varied depending on how many people you want to feed, and nearly everyone likes them. They are one of the many grab & goes I make for when I go plein air painting, and if you are a plein air painter yourself, they might become one of yours too!

Yum

Jamaican Patties

July 28, 2016

by Paul

Category Beef Mains & Sides Meat Dishes

Persons

8

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. For the dough, combine flour, baking powder, curry powder, tumeric and salt.
2. Cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs and mixture hold its shape.
3. Add water, a little at a time until dough comes together. Do not overwork.
4. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
5. For filling, heat skillet thoroughly on medium high and brown ground beef until cooked through.
6. Drain fat and return skillet to stove. Add onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt and saute until onions begin to change color, about 5 minutes.
7. Return drained meat to onion mixture and add curry powder, oregano and pepper. Cook about 3 more minutes, remove from heat and cool completely.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
9. Divide chilled dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a disc about 6 inches in diameter. Fill with about 1/3 cup of cooled meat filling. Wet edges with water and fold over, pressing edges together and crimping with a fork. Make 2 prick marks on top.
10. Place patties on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Tags

ground beef,

Jamaican patties

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