Bahamas Recipes

Pastry:

1 lb. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup ground beef suet
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
8 oz. iced water (approx.)
A pinch of tomato colouring in water, or a drop of annatto colouring to colour the pastry

Filling:

1 lb. ground beef
2 stalks escallion
1 stalk thyme (about 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 medium onion
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
browning (optional)
butter
oil for glazing

To make pastry:

1. Sift the flour and salt.

2. Mix the suet and vegetable shortening with some of the flour.

3. Mix suet mixture and remaining flour, and add baking powder.

4. Add water with colouring and mix until the ingredients are bound together and leave the basin clean. The dough should be firm.

5. Turn on to a floured board. Knead till free from cracks.

6. Divide dough into 40 pieces and shape into balls.

7. Cover and leave until ready to make patties.

To Make Filling:

1. Heat mince meat in a saucepan with just enough water to cover.

2. Use fingers or fork to seperate lumps in the water.

3. Add seasoning, finely chopped, to meat and also 1/2 tsp. salt and sugar.

4. Cook until mince is soft, about 30 minutes on low heat.

5. Correct seasoning and add remaining salt.

6. Add bread crumbs and browning if a darker colouring is required.

7. Make sure there is enough gravy to make filling wet. Add butter, and allow to cool before putting into pastry.

8. Preheat oven to 350 F.

9. On a lightly floured board, roll out balls in circles. Put about 1 full teaspoon of mince in centre of circles and fold over to form a crescent. Press together and crimp with a crimper or a fork, brushing a little oil on each patty.

10. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until golden brown or deep fry cocktail patties.

11. Serve hot.

Yields 40 cocktail size patties.