Believe it or not, I had never eaten an empanada until a 2014 trip to Puerto Rico with friends. One of our first nights there, however, our two families enjoyed the most wonderful shrimp empanadas in a little seaside cafe on Flamenco Beach, which is located on Isla de Culebra in Puerto Rico. I immediately wondered where these had been all my life.
Also called meat pies and found in cuisines worldwide, an empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling. Common in Spain, other Southern European countries, North African countries, South Asian countries, Latin American countries and the Philippines, they are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn or other ingredients.
Looking for something different recently, I turned to my Jen Hatmaker cookbook, “Feed These People: Slam-Dunk Recipes for Your Crew.” It’s never let me down. Something called “Spiced Jamaican Patties” caught my eye, although it looked and sounded more like an empanada or meat pie than a patty.
Turns out, it’s basically the same exact thing. A Jamaican patty is a semicircular pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric.
A little further research revealed that the beef patty is a product of the long history of Jamaica, mixing an empanada-styled turnover introduced by the Spanish and pastries introduced by Cornish immigrants, turmeric or curry which were introduced by Indian indentured labourers, and cayenne pepper native to Central and South America, which was introduced to the Caribbean by the Arawaks. It also includes a Scotch bonnet which is a hot pepper that is indigenous to Jamaica and is similar to a habanero pepper.
I decided to make the spiced Jamaican patties and expecting them to be spicy, I knew I wanted something cool and refreshing as a side. I decided cilantro coleslaw would be the perfect accompaniment. I made them one evening this week and while we enjoyed them, I was disappointed in the spice level. They really weren’t spicy at all. I’ll probably make them again but if I do, I will probably add more than one habanero chile. Additionally, some type of sauce – either drizzled over it or on the side for dipping – is also in order … perhaps a chimichurri or a pesto.
Kirk’s Mom’s Spiced Jamaican Patties
From Jen Hatmaker
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 (2-count) package store-bought rolled pie crusts
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 habanero chile, seeded and minced
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup beef stock
- 2 eggs, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Roll both crusts out on a floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick, then cut out eight 5-inch circles total. Stick the crust rounds in the fridge to firm up while you move on to the spiced beef.
In a skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat, then add the curry powder, allspice and some salt and black pepper. Stir until the spices are toasted and incorporated.
Add the onion, habanero, scallions and thyme and saute until the veggies start to soften, around 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and stir until it is totally browned, about 5 minutes.
Throw in the bread crumbs and stock and cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated, 6-8 minutes. This should be perfectly saucy but not soupy.
Kirk’s mom sticks this whole mix in the freezer for 15 minutes both to cool if sufficiently and to hustle the fat to the surface so she can skim it off. You can also make the filling the day before or morning of and keep it covered in the fridge until you need it.
Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling onto one half of each pastry round. Moisten the edges of the pastry with a little water and fold in half, totally enclosing the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Set the filled patties on your prepared baking sheet and brush each with beaten egg.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
