A recipe for Pate Kòde (Haitian Fried Patties)! These savory fried pastries are filled with a comforting blend of hot dogs, hard-boiled eggs, and peppers.
Disclosure: I received spice blends from Savory Thoughts in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Savory Thoughts Haitian Spice Blends
My friends, Mirlene and AJ, over at Savory Thoughts have started developing their own spice blends, seasonings, and rubs with a focus on Haitian and Caribbean flavors.
They recently sent me jars of their Jacmel and Delmas premium Haitian spice blends to try out at home. I was so excited when they arrived!
Each incredibly fragrant mixture was packed into a glass hexagonal jar with a vibrant, easy to read label describing the contents and history behind the spice name. I especially loved that these two particular blends were inspired by cities in Haiti.
The Jacmel Haitian Spice is named after the city of Jacmel in the southern part of the country. A mild version of the Haitian Epis, this all-purpose seasoning mix has a blend of salt, paprika, garlic, onion, sugar, and other spices. It is perfect for pairing with a variety of dishes from meat and vegetables to soups and stews. Savory Thoughts also uses it in their Haitian Macaroni Au Gratin and Fried Red Snapper.
Named after the city of Delmas in the heart of Haiti, the Delmas Seasoning is a poultry spice blend with sea salt, garlic, lemon peel, onion, and other spices. It is recommended for their Poul Nan Sos (Haitian Chicken Stew) recipe and also pairs well with vegetables.
Other seasonings currently available in the Savory Thoughts Shop include Bèlans (Belle-Anse), Saint-Marc Spice, Caribbean Jerk Seasoning, and Spicy Chipotle Seasoning.
Pate Kòde (Haitian Fried Patties)
After trying the Jacmel spice blend, I was inspired to make Pate Kòde (Haitian Fried Patties)! These crisp, savory pastries are quite the comforting street food with an assortment of filling options.
For today’s recipe, I assembled the Pate Kòde with seasoned hot dogs, peppers, and hard boiled eggs. Savory Thoughts also has a Vegan Pate Kode with cabbage. Other options include smoked herring, cod, chicken, ground beef, and more.
After deep-frying until golden, I served the Pate Kòde while still warm alongside Savory Thought’s Pikliz (Spicy Coleslaw). This spicy condiment pairs shredded cabbage with habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, lemon, and vinegar. It is seasoned with the Delmas spice blend for the perfect tangy accompaniment to the pastries.
A Few Pate Kòde Tips
I followed Savory Thought’s lead and used vegetable oil in the dough. Some recipes use shortening or lard. I also came across the use of chicken bouillon base and baking powder.
For this dough, I generally do not need to flour my work surface when rolling into a thin sheet. If your dough is sticking, dust with a little flour only as needed. Take care to not use too much flour or the dough may become tough.
Cover the dough you are not actively working with to keep it from drying out.
Finely chop the vegetables. If the pieces are too large, they may pierce through the dough. If the dough does tear, gently overlap and press it back together.
Wear gloves when handling the habanero and wash hands immediately afterwards.
If you are unable to get Jacmel seasoning, swap with a spoonful or two of Haitian Epis (Haitian Seasoning Base). Adjust the seasonings and salt to taste.
The exact amount of filling used may vary based on how thin you can get your pastry dough. Try to get the sheet between 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) and 1/16 inch (1.5 millimeters) thick. Take care to not overfill them. There should be clear edges that can easily be pressed together.
Make sure to close the pastry completely and seal the edges well with the tines of a fork. Poke a few holes across the top to give air a spot to escape without bursting through the patty.
If you do happen to have leftover hot dog filling, it is delicious over rice.
This recipe makes enough for four patties. It can easily be doubled for more servings.
After assembly, the prepared Pate Kòde can be arranged in single layers on a parchment-lined baking sheet, frozen until thoroughly chilled, and transferred to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months until ready to fry. Deep-fry straight from the freezer, though a minute or two may need to be added to the cooking time. Take care and use a screen to avoid any splatter that may be caused by ice crystals.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
To cook the eggs, place them in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil while gently stirring the eggs occasionally to move them to different sides (this will help center the yolk).
Once boiling, remove the pot from heat and cover with a lid. Allow to sit for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice cold water and peel them as soon as cool enough to handle. Cut each egg into quarters or dice to divide among the pastries.
Pate Kòde Recipe
Adapted from Savory Thoughts
Pate Kòde (Haitian Fried Patties)
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) warm water
For assembling:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vegetable oil plus more for deep frying
- 4 hot dogs thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium onion peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper stem and seeds discarded, finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper stem and seeds discarded, finely diced
- 1/2 habanero stem and seeds discarded, finely minced using gloves
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons Jacmel seasonings or more as desired
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water plus more for brushing the dough
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons freshly parsley finely chopped
- 2 hard-boiled eggs quartered
Instructions
To make the dough:
- Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
- Add the 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil into the well and slowly mix the water into the flour, using only enough to create a slightly stiff, smooth dough with no streaks of flour remaining. If still too crumbly, add a little more water. If too sticky to handle, knead in just a little more flour.
- Cover the dough and set aside at room temperature while preparing the filling.
To make the filling:
- Place a large pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil.
- Once heated, add the hot dog slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and browned around the edges.
- Stir in the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to soften.
- Stir in the habanero and garlic, then add the Jacmel seasonings, salt, and 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated. Stir in the parsley and adjust seasonings to taste.
- Remove from heat, transfer to a wide bowl, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
To assemble:
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Place one piece on a work surface (only flouring if needed to prevent sticking) and cover the remaining pieces with a towel.
- Roll the dough into a thin oval between 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) and 1/16 inch (1.5 millimeters) thick.
- Place up to 1/4 of the cooled filling across one side of the oval, leaving at least 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) of the edges clear.
- Brush the edges of the oval with water and fold the dough over the filling to form a crescent or half moon shape.
- Press down across the edges to seal, pushing out any air from the filling.
- Use the tines of a fork to press the edges completely to seal.
- Prick the top of the formed patty with the fork about 4-6 times to create holes for air to escape.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough and filling.
- Add about 2 inches (5 centimeters) of vegetable oil to a wide pot and place over medium heat to reach about 350˚F (180˚C).
- Once heated, carefully add 1-2 of the prepared patties to the oil, taking care to not overcrowd.
- Fry the patties until golden, 3-4 minutes per side, then carefully transfer to a towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining patties.
- Serve warm with desired accompaniments.
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