Costa Rica Pati Recipe
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Click to enlargeWhether you call them pati, pattie, patty or paty, these traditional Costa Rican Caribbean turnovers are one of the best things that Limon Cuisine has to offer. They are easy to make and easy to carry around and eat. Make a bunch and take them to work or school as an alternative to sandwiches.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 2 ½ cups of self raising flour
- 4 oz shortening
- 2 tbs suet*
- 2 tbs vegetable oil
- Pinch of salt
- Cold water
Filling:
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 bell pepper (capsicum) chopped finely
- 1 ½ cups of bread crumbs
- 1 tbs chopped cilantro
- 2 Tbs finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves (pass them through a garlic press or chop them finely)
- 3 Tbs oil
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Coloring agent (Costa Ricans use achiote, a natural paste from the annatto plant)
- Hot pepper can be added to the mixture to taste
*suet is a dry, firm fat found around the kidneys and loins in beef and mutton. Solid at room temperature, it will melt at about 70F.
Preparation:
For the dough, combine the shortening, suet and oil with a wooden spoon and slowly add the sifted flour and salt. Sprinkle cold water as needed to create a homogenous mixture. Knead the dough and roll it out onto a flat surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. The idea is to have it thin but not so much that it tears.
For the filling, sautee the onions, garlic and peppers on a pan with the oil. Once they brown a bit add the ground beef, the cilantro, the salt and pepper and the breadcrumbs. Stir well and cook thoroughly until the mixture is fairly dry. Let cool and use it to stuff the turnovers.
Cut the pastry into circles or 6 inch squares. You can add the filling to one side, leaving a one inch border to press the edges, or add it into the center and then fold into thirds or fill the circle and cover it with another pastry circle. Each household has its own pati recipe version, so don’t be afraid to experiment and use the technique that is easiest for you. After filling the caribbean patties, ress the edges helping yourself with a fork, then punch some holes into the center of the Costa Rica pati with the fork or a knife so that the steam from the filling has a place to exit. Bake until golden brown on a 200°C (400°F) oven. Enjoy!
