Antillean Christmas Patties (Pâtés Salés)
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
Learn to make traditional Antillean Christmas Patties (Pâtés Salés). These savory, golden-crusted meat pies are a holiday favorite.
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The patty our holidays run on. A buttery, flaky crust wrapped around a deeply spiced beef filling — these golden little pastries show up at every Antillean Christmas table, and once you make a batch, you'll understand why they never last.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 250g plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 🫗 125g softened butter
- 🫗 8 cl water
- 🫗 1 egg yolk
- 🫗 1 pinch salt
- 🫗 600g ground beef
- 🫗 1 onion, chopped
- 🫗 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 🫗 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 🫗 1 Caribbean chili (piment Antillais), minced
- 🫗 2 sprigs green onion (ciboule), chopped
- 🫗 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
- 🫗 1 tsp salt
- 🫗 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 🫗 1/2 tsp ginger, ground
- 🫗 5 tbsp (35g) olive oil
- 🫗 2 tsp secret spice blend (your choice of Caribbean seasoning)
- 🫗 Juice of 1 lemon
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
**Prepare Dough:** Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the softened butter until the mixture is crumbly. Gradually add water and mix until a smooth dough forms. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
**Sauté Filling:** Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and Caribbean chili until fragrant.
**Cook Meat:** Add the ground beef, browning it thoroughly. Season with salt, pepper, ginger, the secret spice blend, and lemon juice. Add green onion and parsley at the end. Let the mixture cool completely.
**Assemble:** Roll out the dough and cut into circles. Place a spoonful of the cooled beef mixture in the center of each circle. Fold over and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
**Bake:** Brush the tops with egg yolk. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Antillean Christmas Patties (Pâtés Salés)
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Overworking the Dough: Handle the dough gently to ensure the crust remains light and flaky rather than tough.
- ✕
Under-seasoning: Because of the amount of dough, the filling needs to be robustly seasoned. Taste your beef mixture before filling the patties.
🔄 Variations
Protein Swap: These can also be made with ground chicken or pork for a different flavor profile.
Spiciness: Adjust the amount of Caribbean chili based on your spice tolerance; remember that the heat intensifies during cooking.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
These patties can be made in advance and frozen before baking. Store baked patties in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat in the oven to restore the crust's texture.
💡 Chef Tips
Cool the Filling: Never put hot filling into the dough, as it will melt the butter and ruin the flaky texture of the crust.
Seal Tightly: Ensure the edges are well-sealed with a fork; otherwise, the filling may leak out during baking.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →