Paté

Paté, just like doco, is a beloved African snack. It is one popular afternoon snack in Benin. I like to call it my home country Empanada.

Patés are also served during parties, or family gatherings. They make great shareable appetizers.

Ready in: 2h30 min
Serving: makes 10 patés

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch baking soda
• 1 Tbsp peanut oil/any vegetable oil
• 1 Titus sardine sardine
• ¼ cup diced tomato
• ¼ cup diced onion
• Oil for frying

Steps:

prepare the dough (10 min, 1h30 min rest)

1. Pour the water into a large mixing bowl or pan.
2. Add yeast, sugar, salt, and let it stand for 5 minutes.
3.  Stir with a spoon to combine all together.
4. Add the flour, baking soda and a tbsp of oil.
5. Combine with fingers to make a nice dough forms.
6. Cover with a kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
7. Let rise in a warm oven or place for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Prepare the filling (5 min)

1. Open a Titus sardine
2. Pour into a small pan (fish+oil)
3. Add onions and tomatoes
4. Season with a pinch of salt, ground pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper
5. Put on a medium heat for 3 min slowly stirring to blend everything perfectly
6. Turn heat off and let the mixture cool down.

Assemble the patÉ (30 min)

1. Flour a dry large kitchen board or a flat surface
2. Rub a small amount of oil all over your hands.
3. Grab a lime size dough and roll it between your palms.
4. Put the dough on your working surface and roll it out into a thin disc (about 4 inches diameter and 1/8 inch thick). It does not have to be perfect! You can use a round jar cover to cut out the circle. It gives all the patés the perfect same size.

5. Put a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the circle shaped dough.

6. Fold it and secure the edges with a fork.

6. Repeat the process (3, 4, 5, 6) until all the dough is finished.

Fry the paté (15 min)

1. Heat oil in a large deep pan over a medium heat.
2. Test that the oil is hot by putting in a tiny dough. The dough should pop up automatically. If it does not, the oil is not hot enough and you should wait a little longer.
3. Add 5 patés at a time in the hot oil to deep fry them (don’t crowd the pan, put less if your pan cannot hold a batch of 5).
4. Fry each side until golden brown (about 2 min on each side for the first batch, it takes less time for the next batch to cook as the oil is much hotter).
5. Drain the paté onto a paper towel.
6. Serve it hot or warm.

Bon appetit!