Jamaican Patties

Serves 4

Ingredients

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Pastry
1 lb	Plain flour
2 teaspoons	Curry powder
1 teaspoon	Baking powder
½ teaspoon	Salt
4 oz	Vegetable Lard or Margarine or a mixture of both
3 fl oz	Ice cold water
Filling
1	Medium onion, finely chopped
12 oz	Ground beef
6 oz	Breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon	Dried thyme
1 teaspoon	Curry powder
	Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 fl oz	Water

Method

1	First of all make the pastry. Sift the flour, baking powder, curry powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the lard/margarine and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
2	Add only enough water to hold the dough together. Wrap in plastic cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
3	Meanwhile make the filing. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and beef and cook, stirring frequently, over a medium heat until the meat is browned.
4	Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
5	Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out to about ⅛ - ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a 4 inch cookie cutter, cut dough into 12 circles.
6	Pre-heat the oven to 200° C, 400° F, Gas Mark 6.
7	Fill each pastry circle with a twelfth of the filling. Moisten the edges with a little cold water. Fold the circle in half and seal the edges by pressing together with a fork. Prick through the top crust of each patty with a fork and place patties on 2 baking sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crust is cooked and lightly brown.
8	Serve hot or cold.

VARIATION

Replace the ground beef with finely shredded chicken

For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with about 1 lb of cooked mixed vegetables