Jumiekan Pati (Jamaican Patty)

To most Americans, the word Patty is associated with a flat cake of minced or finely chopped food, esp. meat or a small, round, flat chocolate-covered peppermint candy. To Jamaicans, a Patty is an empanada-shaped turnover stuffed with meat, fish or vegetables, even cheese. This can come in its regular size, which is slightly bigger than one's hand or in a mini cocktail size, which can be served as a snack or as hors d'oeuvres at a party. The Jamaican patty is as common as pizza is to many Americans. It can be eaten on the go or made into a gourmet meal.

This pastry's crust is mostly golden yellow and flaky while the fillings are packed with various herbs and spices. While baking, its aroma can be inhaled from a mile away. Okay, so my mouth is watering and I'm sure yours is as well so let's get into how you can make some yourself. I love chicken patties and they come in many styles like curried chicken or jerk chicken. This recipe is a general, somewhat spicy chicken patty. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN FILLING:

• 2 lbs ground chicken meat (In the store ask the butcher to ground it or use a food processor with the grinder attachment)
• 1/2 teaspoon Accent
• 8 sprigs of thyme
• 2 ozs. escallion (green onions)
• 2 small hot peppers
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• half a loaf french bread
• 1 teaspoon salt

METHOD:

1. Grind escallion and hot peppers in a mincing mill.
2. Add to ground chicken with salt.
3. Place chicken meat in a saucepan making a well in the center into which place 4 sprigs of thyme.
4. Cook without adding any water or fat until chicken meat has lost its broth and only very little oil remains.
5. Pour off excess oil and add this to the paprika to be used later on, strained for coloring meat.
6. While the chicken is being cooked, pour sufficient cold water over bread in a saucepan to cover and soak for a few minutes, then squeeze dry, saving water.
7. Pass bread through mincing mill and return the ground bread water with 4 sprigs of thyme and cook until bread is dry.
8. Combine chicken meat and cooked bread.
9. Add color, paprika in sufficient quantity to color the chicken meat to taste.
10. Cook together for a further 20 mins.
11. Add Accent . Remove from fire. Cool for filling pastry circles.

INGREDIENTS FOR PASTRY:

• 11 ozs suet (beef fat or shortening)
• 4 cups flour
• 1 level teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup iced water

METHOD:

1. Trim all skin and fatty membrane from suet and set overnight in freezer.
2. Next day, with a very sharp knife shave suet as finely as possible.
3. Combine salt and flour, then work in suet as you would shortening in plain pastry, cutting it in with two knives.
4. Add iced water in sufficient amount to have a dough which can be rolled out.
5. Form into a ball and with a rolling pin, pat gently, turning the dough over once or twice in order to have it all properly held together.
6. Set overnight wrapped in wax paper in freezer.
7. Next day, pull off enough dough (after defrosting) to roll into a circle the size of a breakfast saucer.
8. Dip dough in flour before rolling.
9. Roll quite thin and cut in a circle. (use saucer for help) In the center of each circle place a spoonful of chicken meat, fold dough over to form a crescent shape seal edges with egg white or by crimping the edge and folding dough slightly under.
10. Do not prick the pastry.
11. Bake on ungreased tin sheet in a hot oven for about 35 mins.
12. This recipe will make about 3 dozen regular patties. if cocktail patties are needed, use a smaller cutter than a saucer.
13. Serving 3 dozen regular size patties.

Remember, don't be afraid to try something new. That's the only way you learn. Feel free to experiment with other fillings. Happy eating!