Chefs Binge · Caribbean · Serves 8 pies

Caribbean Beef and Potato Pasty (Trinidad Aloo Pie)

Crisp fried Caribbean pasties with a curried beef and potato filling, my beef version of Trinidad street-food aloo pie. Makes eight, best eaten hot.

Prep

45 min

Cook

1 hr 45 min

Total

3 hrs

Serves

8 pies

Per serving

396 kcal

Ingredients

Ingredients for the marinade

400 g Beef Shin - small dice (or other stewing cut)

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Black Pepper

2 Spring Onions - sliced and washed

1 handful Coriander

1 Tomato, medium size - diced

1 tbsp Ketchup

1 tsp Mild Curry Powder

½ Lime, juice only

Ingredients for the Aloo filling

100 g Peas

400 g Potatoes, waxy type - peeled and cut in small dice (keep them in water until needed)

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1½ tbsp Mild Curry Powder

1 Red chilli - small dice

3 Garlic clove - minced

1 Onion, medium size - sliced

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 Beef stock cube

600 ml Water

1 tbsp Cornflour - optional, to thicken the filling if needed

Ingredients for the Aloo pastry

280 g Plain Flour - sieved

¼ tsp Ground Cardamom

½ tsp Ground Turmeric

½ tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

175 ml Water

500 ml Vegetable Oil - for shallow frying

Equipment

Hybrid Non Stick Frying Pan · Deep Fry Probe · Rolling Pin

Method

Marinating the Beef. To start off, marinate the beef with a blend of salt, pepper, spring onions, coriander, tomato, ketchup, curry powder and lime juice. You may choose to marinate the beef overnight or just before cooking.

Preparing the Spiced Onions and Garlic. In a frying pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Introduce onion, garlic, and chilli, cooking until they turn golden-brown, around 5 minutes. Incorporate the curry powder and ground cumin, cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in 4tbsp of water, allowing it to evaporate completely over the next 5 minutes.

Cooking the Marinated Beef. Incorporate the marinated beef into the pan, mixing thoroughly. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 35 minutes.

Adding Potatoes and Finishing the Beef Mixture. As the beef continues to cook, introduce potatoes and water, peas, followed by a beef stock cube. Allow it to come to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Continue cooking uncovered for about 50 minutes or until it thickens and most of the water evaporates. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Once done, transfer to a large plate, spreading it out to expedite cooling and ease handling. If the filling does not seem thick enough, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour with a small amount of water, then stir it into the filling and cook for a few more minutes until it thickens.

Preparing the Dough. Begin dough preparation by combining sieved flour with baking powder, salt, turmeric, and cardamom. Knead this mixture into a ball, cover, and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Forming the Beef Pies. Dust your workspace with flour, dividing the dough into 8 even balls. Roll each into approximately 10cm diameter circles. Spoon the beef mixture into each circle's centre, sealing by folding and pinching the edges. Moistening the edges may aid in ensuring they adhere.

Arranging Pies for Cooking. Position the pies on a cloth, potentially covering them with another cloth to retain moisture.

Frying the Pies. Heat the oil to 170°C (340°F) and shallow fry the pies two at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes a side, until deep golden and puffed. Spoon a little of the hot oil over the tops as they cook so they colour and puff evenly. Go by colour rather than the clock, and if the first one is at all doughy inside, take the heat down a little and give the next ones longer. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.

Serving the Beef Pies. Once all pies are cooked, serve them with mango chutney, salad, and dressing of your choice for a complete meal.

Chef’s notes

Rest the dough. Thirty minutes is the minimum. Rolled straight after kneading it springs back and you will fight it into shape rather than roll it.

The filling has to be cold. Warm filling softens the pastry from the inside, and a soft pie tears as you seal it. Spread it out on a plate to cool it quickly.

Thick, not wet. If the filling still looks loose after the uncovered simmer, stir in the tablespoon of cornflour slaked in a little cold water and give it a few minutes more. A wet filling will not let the edges seal.

170°C, two at a time. Hotter and the outside colours before the pastry cooks through; cooler and they drink the oil. Frying more than two at once drops the temperature and does the same thing. Go by colour rather than the clock.

They are a hot food. The pastry softens as it cools, so eat them within the hour if you can. You can bake them instead, brushed with oil, but they come out closer to a pasty than to the fried street-food version.

Per serving Calories 396 kcal · Protein 17.1 g · Carbs 41.9 g · Fat 17.9 g · Saturates 3.1 g · Fibre 4.2 g · Sugar 3 g · Sodium 563 mg

chefsbinge.com/caribbean-beef-and-potato-pasty-trinidad-aloo-pie

Cooked it? Rate it at that link · one tap, no sign-up