<h1>The Patty Wars</h1>

When you're buying a Patty for a Jamaican, make sure that you don't buy one from the wrong bakery. That's a big thing here in Jamaica. People will argue for hours, throwing reasons back and forth why 'their' bakery is the best. The bakeries i am talking about are Juicy Patties and Tastee, the two major ones that supply the Jamaican people with the very tasty pastries. Why do people argue over that you may ask, well, i don't know, some may say Juicy's patties have less crust and more meat, others will say Tastee's patties are flakier but it all just boils down to a matter of preference, there is no right or wrong answer with this argument.

All we know is that if you leave this island for a prolonged period you are gonna long for a bite into that golden brown bundle of goodness. The taste is indescribable and if you ask someone what is a patty and they don't know, that person isn't a Jamaican. In recent years patty fillings have gotten very diverse, at one time it was only beef now we have chicken, shrimp, lobster, vegetable and cheese, each tasting just as good as the next. But i should let you know Juicy Patties IS the best hands down, no argument there so i don't know what the big fuss is for.

Here is a Beef Patty recipe, i hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
Pastry:
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup solid shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1/3 cup cold water

Meat filling:
2 tablespoon margarine
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chopped Scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice berries
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup beef or chicken stock
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup water

Instructions
Prepare the pastry:
Sift the flour, curry powder and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and margarine until crumbly. Add the cold water to make a stiff dough. Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and roll out the dough until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 8-inch circles. Cover with wax paper or damp cloth until ready to use. You can place the dough in the refrigerator overnight. If you do refrigerate, remove the dough at least 15 minutes before using.

Prepare the filling:
In a heavy skillet, melt the margarine and saute the onion and Scotch bonnet pepper until they become limp. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, curry powder and thyme and mix well. Brown the meat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the breadcrumbs and stock and combine all the ingredients well. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the liquids have been absorbed, the filling is ready. It should be moist but not watery. Remove the skillet from the stove and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare the patties:
Uncover the dough circles and place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling on half of each. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough circle over the meat filling. Pinch the edges closed with a fork. Lightly brush the pastry with a mixture of the egg and water. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry are golden brown.

Yield: 10 patties from here

This is how it should come out