In Jamaica, “patties” are beef-filled pastries shaped like turnovers, with a flaky dough similar to piecrust. Some say that savory Caribbean patties may have been inspired by Cornish pasties, the sturdy meat turnovers from the British Isles.
Jamaican patties are often seasoned with curry spices, but not always. In this recipe, we went for a spicy jerk seasoning with allspice, onions, scallions, and thyme. To really part from tradition, this recipe has no meat. The ground tempeh filling and the crust are vegan, and the patties can be baked or deep-fried. Patties are often brushed with beaten egg to give them a golden color. A traditional alternative to egg wash is to sift a teaspoon of turmeric into the flour for a nice golden tint.
You can buy small jars of prepared all-natural jerk seasoning among the Caribbean specialty foods in a supermarket or gourmet/specialty food market. Jerk seasoning comes in mild, medium, and hot varieties, and it is often very salty; a little goes a long way, so there is no salt needed in the filling. But a little salt in the crust gives it flavor.
Yields 8 large patties or more smaller patties
Serves 4 to 8
Prep time: 1 hour
If frying the patties: the time depends on your skillet and how many batches you do
If baking the patties: about 25 minutes
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (white or whole wheat)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water (or more if needed)
8 ounces tempeh
½ teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
1 teaspoon sugar or agave syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, peanut, safflower, corn, or olive oil)
1 cup minced onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup finely diced red bell peppers
½ cup finely sliced scallions
Oil, for frying or baking
Make the crust: In a food processor or by hand in a bowl, mix the flour, turmeric (if using), and salt together, then drizzle in the oil. When the oil is well distributed and the mixture is crumbly, sprinkle in the water a tablespoon at a time and mix thoroughly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and can be formed into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill it while you make the filling.
Make the filling: In a bowl, finely crumble the tempeh. Add the thyme, allspice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, jerk seasoning, and sugar and mix well. Set aside.
In a large skillet, warm the vegetable oil on medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook until translucent. Stir in the bell peppers and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and the reserved seasoned tempeh and cook until the tempeh darkens and becomes crisp on the bottom. Turn the mixture over and brown it for another few minutes. Add a little more oil if it begins to stick. Put the filling into a bowl and set it aside while you roll out the pastry crust.
Cut the ball of dough into 8 to 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a thin round roughly 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Divide the filling into 8 to 12 equal portions and put a portion of filling on the lower half of each pastry round. Fold over the top to make a half-moon. Fold over the edges to make a little seam and pinch the round edge with the tines of a fork to seal the pastry.
Fry or bake the patties: To fry the pastries, fill a skillet with vegetable oil to a depth of ½ inch and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough that a little ball of dough dropped into it sizzles, or a light sprinkle of flour scoots away, carefully lower as many patties into the oil as fit in the skillet without touching each other. Fry until they turn golden brown on the bottom side. Turn them over and fry on the other side. When they are golden brown and crisp, drain briefly on paper towels and then transfer to a platter. Keep them in a warm oven until all the patties are fried and you’re ready to serve them.
To bake the patties, preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange the patties on a well-oiled baking pan. Brush the tops with oil. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the patties.
Serve with Fresh Pineapple-Mango Relish or your favorite fruit chutney or fruit salsa on the side. Mango-Spinach Salad provides a colorful and refreshing counterpoint as well.