Jamaican Beef Patties

Ingredients

Pastry

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 250 g (1 cup) cold butter or shortening, cubed
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) ice water
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water, for glazing

Filling

• 500 g (1 lb) ground beef
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), seeded and minced (or to taste)
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
• 30 g (½ cup) breadcrumbs
• 120 ml (½ cup) beef stock

Steps

1. Whisk the flour, turmeric and salt. Rub in the butter until you have pea-sized crumbs. Add the water a little at a time and bring together into a dough. Do not overwork it.
2. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, scotch bonnet, thyme, curry powder and allspice and stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the beef and cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and no pink remains; ground beef is safe at 71°C (160°F). Add the salt, pepper and stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the breadcrumbs and spring onions, cook 2 minutes until the mix is thick and moist but not wet, then cool completely, about 30 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Roll the dough 3 mm (⅛ in) thick and cut 8 circles, 15 cm (6 in) across.
7. Put 3 tbsp filling on half of each circle, fold over, crimp the edge with a fork, and brush with the egg glaze.
8. Bake on lined trays for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden and flaky.

Notes

• Make ahead: freeze unbaked patties; bake from frozen for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Coco bread: for the classic Jamaican sandwich, tuck a hot patty into split coco bread or soft rolls.
• Heat: use half a scotch bonnet for a milder patty. Wear gloves when seeding it.
• Air fryer: reheat leftover patties at 160°C (320°F) for 5 to 6 minutes, until crisp and steaming hot, 74°C (165°F).
• Shortcut: ready-made shortcrust pastry discs save the first hour, though you lose the golden turmeric colour.