Jamaican patty

A Jamaican patty is a semicircular pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture, annatto or turmeric. It is a type of turnover, and is formed by folding the circular dough cutout over the chosen filling, but is savoury and filled with ground meat.

As its name suggests, it is commonly found inside Jamaica, and is also eaten in other areas of the Caribbean including the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. It is traditionally filled with seasoned ground beef, but other fillings include chicken, pork, lamb, goat, vegetables, shrimp, lobster, fish, soy, ackee, callaloo, bacon or cheese. Jamaican patties are typically seasoned with onions, garlic, thyme, oregano and chili peppers. The use of the Scotch bonnet, a hot pepper indigenous to Jamaica, adds flavour to the patty. In non-Jamaican-based restaurants, the composition may be extended to include low-fat, whole wheat crusts or the absence of chilies.

In Jamaica, the patty is often eaten as a full meal, especially when paired with coco bread. It can also be served as a snack or appetizer in bite-sized portions called cocktail patties.