ROTW: Pate Bege (Haitian)

This recipe is from my Aunt Anne's cookbook again. Her family were missionaries to Haiti in the early 1980's. Her note at the beginning of the recipe is as follows: "These beef patties are sold all over Haiti in markets and roadside stands. They can also be filled with codfish or chicken. The most popular filling is beef."
PASTRY:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. shortening
10 T. cold water

FILLING:
1 lb. hamburger
1 can tomato paste
4 T. onion chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic
salt and pepper

In a bowl combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until crumbly. Gradually add water and mix until dough holds together. Roll dough flat and shape into round circles (I made it into 8 smaller circles).
Cook hamburger and drain. Add the rest of the filling ingredients. Put on circles of dough. Fold in half and seal the ends by pressing together. Fry in oil, turning to brown on both sides OR bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, the at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

These end up looking like half moons. I baked them to make them healthier. The pasty was very light and flaky. Jacob almost ate a whole one himself! When I make it the next time, I am going to add a few more seasonings to the filling. I may also use a can of tomato sauce instead of tomato paste. The possibilities for fillings are almost endless here! We give this recipe a 4 1/2 spoons out of 5.