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Costa Rica Food Recipes: Jamaican Patties

A Jamaican patty or pattie is a pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell. Technically, it is a beef filled turnover. As its name suggests, it is commonly found in Jamaica, and is also eaten in other areas of Costa Rica, especially on the Caribbean coast. It is traditionally filled with ground beef, however, fillings now include chicken, vegetables, shrimp, lobster, soy and cheese.

For the pastry:
4 cups (1 kilo) plain flour.
2 Teaspoons ground dried turmeric or annatto.
1 teaspoon salt.
1 cup (250 grams) butter, softened.
3 tablespoons cold water.
Sift the flour, turmeric and salt into a bowl. Add the butter and
mix well with fingers until the mixture gambles breadcrumbs. Mix in enough of the water. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

For the filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or yellow cooking butter.
1 large onion, finely chopped.
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped.
2 fresh hot peppers. Seeded and finely chopped.
1 spring of fresh thyme, finely chopped.
4 springs of fresh chives, finely chopped.
2 springs of parsley, finely chopped.
4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
3⁄4 pound (375 grams) prime ground beef or chicken or fish.
4 teaspoon fresh ground turmeric or annatto.
1⁄4 teaspoon ground fresh ginger.
1⁄4teaspoon ground fresh cumin
1 teaspoon allspice.
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
salt and pepper to taste.
1⁄2 cup (125 milliliters) water or stock.
1 tablespoon Jamaican brown rum.
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Fry the onion, garlic, hot pepper,
thyme, chives, parsley, and tomato until soft. Add the meat and all other spices.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add water or stock and cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes until all liquid had evaporated and the meat is nice and thick. Add rum just before removing pot from stove. Let cool.
For glaze and making of patties: 2 egg yolks, well beaten.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Roll out pastry and cut into circles 7 to 12 inches (18 to 31 cm) in diameter using a saucer. Put 2 tablespoons of cooled meat mixture on one side of the circle, fold the other half over so the edges meet, and crimp together with a fork until well sealed. Place the patties on a baking dish lined with aluminum foil or just well greased and floured, and brush the tops with the beaten egg yolks. Bake in the center of the oven for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve piping hot.

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