Ed: Though similar in many ways to South American beef empanadas, both the filling and the dough of these delicious patties have their own distinctive Caribbean ingredients. Ginger and curry powder are must-haves in the meat hash, while turmeric gives a lovely yellow color to the dough.
Beef patties, also called meat pies, are very common among Jamaican and other Caribbean islanders, such as people from St Kitts & Nevis, Grand Cayman, Haiti, and others, both those in their native lands and those who have migrated to other places. The patties make a delicious, hearty snack or small meal.
I love Caribbean patties, and I feel lucky that I live in South Florida, an area where they are available for purchase everywhere, from sit-down restaurants to vending machines! This recipe, while still traditional, is healthier than the commercial ones that you can buy for take-out and much meatier than the frozen patties that you can buy frozen at the supermarket.
The recipe calls for Scotch bonnets, the Caribbean’s favorite hot pepper. While these small chiles, a cousin of the fiery habaneros, are ultra spicy, the “heat” in this recipe ultimately depends on how piquant you would like your patties. When I make them, I ask my friends if I should add more or less Scotch bonnet to the mix. As a rule of thumb, though, you’ll probably end up using 1 or 2 of them.
Caribbean Beef Patties
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 cup cold butter, grated
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- ½ cup very cold water
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 egg, beaten with ÂĽ cup water to seal edges
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 sprigs chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely choped
- 2 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20 or similar
- ½ cup cold water or as needed
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 piece peeled ginger of about 1”x1.5” in size, grated or very finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
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Combine flour, salt and curry powder in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the turmeric, water, vinegar, and egg. Add these wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture forms a ball.
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Cover the bowl with plastic film and let it sit in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Make the filling:
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Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add the onion, chives, thyme and peppers. Sautee, stirring frequently, and when the onion begins to look transparent, add the ground meat and the salt.
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Cook and stir the meat mixture in the saucepan. Once it has browned, drain off excess fat and add enough water to barely cover the meat. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, ginger, and curry powder. Remove from heat and let it cool down.
Assemble and bake your patties:
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Preheat the oven to 375ÂşF/190ÂşC. Roll the dough 1/8-inch thick and cut it into 6-inch diameter circles. Place 2 tablespoons of beef filling in the center of each disk. Use a small pastry brush to wet the edges of the dough circle with the egg and water mixture. Fold the dough over the beef filling, forming a half moon shape, and press edges with a fork to seal.
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Place patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
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Refrigerate leftover patties; microwave to reheat.
Recipe Notes
Make cocktail-sized appetizer patties by cutting the circles to only 3 inches in diameter; you will end up with 12-15 two-bite-sized patties.
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