How To make Beef Patties, Jamaican Style

PAStrY 2 cups flour 1 tsp salt 3/4 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 - 1/3 cup ice water FILLING 1 lb ground beef 1 scallion, white part only, chopped 1 tsp salt 2 tsp black pepper 1/2-3/4 tsp crumbled dried thyme about 4 inches of french or Italian bread 1 tsp paprika 1 small red pepper, minced, or drops of Caribbean hot sauce, to taste. Make the pastry. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, and workin the shortening until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add just enough water to make the dough hold together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Make the filling. Combine the beef, scallion, salt, black pepper, and half the thyme. Cook the mixture in a skillet just until the meat loses its pink color but is not browned. While the meat cooks, soad the bread inwater to cover for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the bread but save the water. Grind the bread in a food processor or meat grinder. Put the bread and water in a saucepena with the rest of the thyme and cook until most the othe water has evaporated. Add the bread and the paprika to the meat. Stir in the red pepper or hot sauce and cook over low heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes. Roll the dough out about 1/8 inch thick; the dough should not be too thin or it may break when filled. Cut out circles about 6 inches in diameter. Place a heaping tablespoon of meat in the center of each circle. Using your finger, moisten the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough over to make a half circle, and crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat until dough and meat are used upp. Place the patties on ungreased baking sheets. Bake about 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 15 patties. Converted by MMCONV vers. 1.50 -----