These turnovers are the Jamaican version of the somewhat bland Cornish pasty. Jamaicans spice up the dish and give it a nice golden hue by adding a little turmeric to the crust. Patties are served throughout the day as snacks, at lunch, and at dinner, paired with vegetables and other dishes to round out the meal. Some say that the patty is to the Jamaican culture what the hamburger is to America. There are many recipes, using all types of meat and all levels of spice. This one falls in the medium-hot range but you can easily increase or decrease the heat level by adding more or less minced chile. Scotch bonnets can be hard to find, but habanero chiles are fine substitutes. You can also use the common jalapeño.
Makes 12 turnovers
INGREDIENTS
PASTRY
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup lard (preferably homemade
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup cold water
FILLING
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon stemmed, seeded, and minced
- Scotch bonnet or habanero chile or 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño chile, or more to taste
- ¼ cup finely chopped scallion whites
- ½ pound ground beef (85% lean), home-ground or store-bought
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry powder, homemade or store-bought
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup fresh bread crumbs
- ¼ cup homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup finely chopped scallion greens
- 1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water for egg wash
INSTRUCTIONS
PASTRY
- Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in ¼ cup lard and 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter until crumbly.
- Add ⅓ cup cold water and stir to make a stiff dough.
- Lightly flour work surface and roll out dough to ⅛ inch thick.
- Cut dough into twelve 6-inch circles (use a plate or pan lid as a guide).
- Cover with wax paper or a damp cloth until ready to use.
FILLING
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté 1 finely chopped onion and ½ teaspoon stemmed, seeded, and minced Scotch bonnet or habanero chile or 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño chile until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup finely chopped scallion whites and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add ½ pound ground beef (85% lean), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme and mix well.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink.
- Stir in ¼ cup fresh bread crumbs and ¼ cup homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth.
- Cover and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in ¼ cup finely chopped scallion greens.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more hot chile, if desired.
- Remove from the heat and cool.
ASSEMBLY AND BAKING
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling on one half of each pastry circle.
- Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough over the meat filling, creating a half-moon shape.
- Crimp the edges closed with a fork.
- Transfer the pastries to the baking sheet.
- Lightly brush with the egg wash.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
ALTERNATIVE CUTS
- Ground pork, goat, or lamb; grass-fed beef or bison, but add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the filling.
- Or combine two or more ground meats: Beef and goat are especially tasty.
COOK’S NOTES
- Wear vinyl or latex gloves when you stem, seed, and chop Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles to avoid skin irritation.
- You can make the filling in advance and refrigerate.
- To make appetizer-sized patties, cut the dough into 4-inch rounds and use about 1 tablespoon filling for each. (Makes about 24 turnovers.)
- These are great for lunch or a light dinner with a salad, coleslaw, or light soup.
- You can freeze the unbaked patties on a baking sheet and bake them when ready to serve, adding about 15 minutes to the cooking time.
