Beef Pate
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 2 hr 55 min
- Active: 1 hr 35 min
- Yield: 5 to 6 servings
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 2 hr 55 min
- Active: 1 hr 35 min
- Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Filling:
2 tablespoons pickle juice, optional
2 pounds ground beef
6 sprigs fresh parsley, minced
2 green onions, sliced
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 hot pepper, diced
1 small sweet pepper, diced
1/2 small bell pepper (any color), diced
2 tablespoons thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 cup tomato paste
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
Special equipment:
a 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven; a deep-fry thermometer- For the dough: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and vegetable shortening together in a bowl using your hands or a pastry blender. Add up to 1 cup water, a little at a time, until dough pulls away from the bowl. Let dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight (see Cook's Note).
- For the filling: Meanwhile, add pickle juice, if using, to a 6-quart pot on medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, using a wooden spoon or spatula to crumble ground beef until fine. As meat is browning, add parsley, green onions, tomatoes, garlic, onions, hot pepper, sweet pepper, bell pepper, thyme, salt and black pepper. Cook until all meat is brown, approximately 5 minutes.
- Remove meat mixture to a colander to drain excess oil. Let sit approximately 5 minutes.
- Return pot to medium heat. Add tomato paste and 1/4 cup water. Stir to thin tomato paste. Add drained meat mixture back to the pot. Mix in tomato paste mixture. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool until meat is room temperature.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees F in a 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven.
- Cut a 2 1/2-inch piece of dough from the rested dough. Flatten into an approximate 3 1/2-inch disc using your fingers. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to 1/8- to 3/16-inch-thick by 7 inches in diameter.
- Fill the dough with 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup filling. Fold over and press with a 6-inch bowl or empanada press to seal the edges. Dust off excess flour, and gently place in the hot oil. Wait for pate to rise to the top of the oil, then flip it over. Let cook for about 1 minute, then flip again.
- Continue cooking and flipping every minute until the pate is golden brown on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel on a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Cook’s Note
Let dough rest overnight for best results. Cool meat in refrigerator to speed up cooling. Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers or a fork for an additional seal or for aesthetic purposes. Use leftover dough pieces to make the next pate.
