Costa Rican Caribbean Patí

Patí is a Caribbean-influenced turnover from Limón province, filled with seasoned meat or chicken, with a spicy touch from Panamanian chili.

It arrived on Costa Rica’s coasts with Afro-Caribbean immigrants, and its dough is often tinted yellow with achiote and turmeric, giving it its characteristic color.

Costa Rican Caribbean Patí

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• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10 pieces
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: Costa Rican

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of achiote (annatto)
• 150 g of lard or margarine, cold (about 5.3 oz)
• to taste of cold water
• 1 pinch of salt
• 500 g of ground beef or shredded chicken (about 1.1 lb)
• 1 of onion, chopped
• 1 of sweet bell pepper, chopped
• 1 of Panamanian chili, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• to taste of fresh cilantro
• 1 of egg, for brushing
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric, for brushing (optional)

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Instructions

1. Make the dough, mix the flour with the salt and achiote, work in the cold lard until you get a sandy texture.
2. Add water, add cold water gradually, until you get a smooth dough. Let rest for a few minutes.
3. Make the filling, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and Panamanian chili, add the meat or chicken, and season with paprika and cilantro.
4. Cook the filling, cook until the meat is fully cooked and without excess liquid. Let cool.
5. Roll out the dough, roll out the dough and cut circles with a cutter.
6. Fill, place a portion of filling in the center of each circle.
7. Close, fold the dough into a turnover, sealing the edges well with a fork.
8. Brush, beat the egg with the turmeric (if using) and brush each patí.
9. Bake, bake in a preheated 175°C (350°F) oven for 20 minutes, until golden and crisp.
10. Serve, serve hot.

Tips for getting it right

• Using very cold lard when making the dough helps achieve a flakier texture.
• Letting the filling cool before assembling keeps the dough from softening too much.
• Sealing the edges well with a fork keeps the filling from leaking out during baking.
• Brushing with egg and turmeric gives the patí its characteristic golden color.

Traditional variations

• The filling can be beef or chicken, depending on preference.
• The spice level can be adjusted based on how much Panamanian chili is used.

How to serve

Patí is served hot, fresh from the oven, as an appetizer or afternoon snack.

It’s an essential classic of the Caribbean cuisine of Limón province, Costa Rica.

Recommended sides

• Hot sauce
• Coffee

Did you know?

Patí arrived on Costa Rica’s coasts with Afro-Caribbean immigrants, who adapted the recipe with local ingredients and flavors.

Patí’s characteristic spicy kick comes from Panamanian chili, one of the key ingredients of Limón cuisine.