Beef Patties

Beef Patties

Ingredients:

For Pastry:

• 3 cups flour

• 2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (18 tbsp), diced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water

• egg wash (1 egg beaten +1 tbsp water)

For the Filling:

• 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 cup diced onion

• 2 celery ribs, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 wiri-wiri peppers seeded and halved (or your choice of hot pepper or 1/4 tsp pepper flakes)

• 1 tbsp finely chopped oregano

• 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 cup beef broth or water

• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place flour, salt and 6 tablespoons butter. Pulse about 10 to 12 times in 1-second pulses.

2. Add remaining butter and pulse in 1-second pulses until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Slowly add cold water as you pulse. As dough starts to come together (about 3-4 pulses), remove from processor. Gather dough into a ball. Form into a log about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet on medium heat. Sauté onions and celery for 3 minutes, add garlic and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add ground beef an cook, stirring occasionally, until beef has browned.

5. Add oregano, thyme and Worcestershire sauce to the browned beef. Pour in beef broth and allow to simmer until all water has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow beef mixture to cool completely before fill the pastry.

6. Remove plastic wrap from chilled pastry. With a sharp knife, cut pastry into 1-inch discs. Keep pastry covered while you work with one piece at a time.

7. Lightly flour surface; roll out each disc into a 7-inch round.

8. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of beef mixture into the center of the pastry disc.

9. Brush the edge to the pastry with the egg wash, fold in half and using the tines of a fork press gently all round the edges to seal.

10. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment; brush the top of the pastry with egg wash and prick the pastry in 2 to 3 places.

11. Bake in a pre-heated 400°F oven for 20 to 22 minutes, until pastry is golden.

12. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Yields: 12 Beef Patties

Notes&Tips:

• Growing up in Guyana, I enjoyed this pastry very much whenever my mother made. It is something that I also had when visiting my aunts in the city. The flakiness of the pastry was only rivaled by the sumptuous filling! I've made this pastry for my children ever since they were little and they have always enjoyed it. They don't feel like I've made it enough times!

• I have come across some recipes that add sweet peas to the filling. The patties that I have consumed never had any and so I have stuck to what I have enjoyed. However, if you'd like to add a vegetable to balance the meat, sweet peas, finely chopped bora (long bean), and French style green beans are some excellent options.

• This pastry freezes well. Wrap in plastic, then place in foil before placing in a Ziploc freezer bag. To reheat, preheat oven to 350℉ and heat for 12 to 15 minutes.

• Serve these Beef Patties for lunch or dinner with a side salad or mashed potatoes or creamed carrots. Or some steamed sugar snaps or green beans.