So the only time I have ever had a jamaican patty was on our honeymoon in Jamaica. it was at a little roadside stand on the way to the resort. I just remember it being so good so when I was looking through recipes on my favorite website 101cookbooks.com and came across a recipe, I just had to give it a try. I tweaked the recipe as always and this is what I came up with. With the first bite I was taken back to that sunny day at that silly roadside stand on the side of the road with the beautiful ocean providing the backdrop. Its funny how our memories can be triggered by so many things, a picture, a taste, a smell. The original recipe was vegetarian, but I had about a half a pound of ground bison that needed to be used so I threw it in. I beefed up the spices a bit, since the meat would add a strong flavor, and gave it my own spin. The color of the dough comes from the addition of turmeric, which is super healthy, and the pastry is made with coconut oil instead of butter. One of the “good fats” that makes up about 50% of coconut oil, is lauric acid. Lauric acid is a rare medium-chain fatty acid found in mother’s milk. It is now being shown to have anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial health-protecting properties. I used Nutiva brand. Here is a link to their sight:
http://nutiva.com/products/coconut-oil-organic-benefits-nutiva/
Here is some info on the health benefits of Turmeric:
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html
I hope you enjoy these as much as we did! YA MON~
1/2 pound ground bison (any ground meat would work or you can leave it veggie)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup chilled coconut oil
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2-3 tablespoons ice water
1 beaten egg to brush on patty before baking
To make the pastry combine the flour, turmeric, and salt in food processor. Add chilled coconut oil and pulse until it resembles coarse sand with pea sized chunks of oil speckling the dough. Add vinegar then water a little bit at a time until the dough just starts to hold together taking care not to over mix which will make the dough tough. empty onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a disc and wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat coconut oil in large skillet. I prefer cast iron. Add onion, carrot, and potato and cook until soft and starting to brown. Add spices, garlic, and bison, can cook until bison is browned. Add peas and coconut milk and cook for about 8-10 minutes.
Remove dough from fridge and working in batches, roll out dough to 1/8 thickness. Use a large round cookie cutter or cereal bowl to cut out rounds of dough. My bowl was about 4 inches across and it made a nice sized patty. Place circle of dough on baking sheet and place about 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto half of the pastry. Fold over dough, and seal by using a fork to press along the edges. Continue making patties until all of the filling is gone. Brush with egg wash and bake about 40-45 until pastry if just starting to brown.
Remove from oven and cool slightly before eating. Enjoy and make sure you have a beverage on hand these are spicy!
