Jamaican patties (vegan)

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 -30 minutes
Serves: makes 7 Patties
 
Ingredients
Pastry
·       250g plain flour
·       ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
·       ½ teaspoon salt
·       125g cold margarine or butter cut into cubes
·       5-6 tablespoon cold water
 
Filling
·       1 teaspoon oil
·    500g vegan soya mince (pre-soaked if the dried variety or defrosted if the frozen variety)
·       1 onion, diced
·       2 cloves garlic, minced
·       1 small (2 inches) piece of ginger, minced
·       ½  teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
·       2 - 3 teaspoons curry powder  
·       ½  teaspoon dried thyme
·       ½  teaspoon paprika
·       2 tomatoes, chopped
·       4 tablespoons wholemeal breadcrumbs
·       125ml water
·       1 vegetable stock cube
Directions

1. Preheat oven  180 degrees C / Gas mark 4
2. To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a large bowl.
3. Add salt and turmeric.
4. Grate the frozen butter into the flour and crumble in with your fingers.
5. Add the cold water and knead to make a dough (the texture will be like bread crumbs).       
6. To make the filling, heat the oil and add onions, garlic, ginger, and mince. Cook until the    mince is browned.
7. Add curry powder, thyme, paprika, salt and black pepper and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
8. Add tomatoes and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until tomatoes have softened.
9. Stir in the wholemeal breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes.
10. Add water and stock cube and simmer for approx 1/2 hour.
11. You should end up with a fairly thick stew.
12. Allow to cool.
13. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface.
14. Using a small saucer, place on the dough and cut around to create a circle shape.
15. Put approx 1-2 teaspoon of the filling onto the pastry circle covering less than half the circle.
16. Fold the pastry circle in half and press down the edges with a fork.
17. You should now have half a semi circle shape.
18. Prick the patties with a fork (2 -3 times) to allow the steam to escape.
19. Place in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.

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