Pate Kode: Fried Patties
Mary Laurette Jean Louis, Laura Francios’ grandmother, is pictured here in Leogane, Haiti in 1974..
Pate Kode is a traditional dish prepared by the Haitian community, most often as a part of a “fritay,” a meal consisting of different fried foods. On the island of Haiti, this is a common street food sold to tourists, visitors and islanders. On my summer vacations to Haiti as a young girl, my grandmother would take me into the kitchen and have me watch as she made pate kode for a midday meal. Returning home to West Palm Beach, I’ve been able to remake this dish with friends and enjoy the savory taste of the crispy, filled dough. words_laura francois.
Ingredients Dough • 2 cups flour • 1 tsp. baking powder • ½ tsp. salt • ½ cup + 2 tbsp. cold water • ½ tsp. bouillon base or half crushed bouillon cube
Craving pate kode? Chez Katu in Miramar, FL has every flavor imaginable.
Hotdogs and Eggs Filling: • 1 hotdog, sliced into 4 strips and diced • 1 hard boiled egg, diced • 1 tbsp. oil • 1 tbsp. epis • ¼ cup onions, sliced • ½ hot pepper, diced (optional) • ⅛ tsp. garlic powder • ⅛ tsp. onion powder • ⅛ tsp. dried thyme • Pinch of black pepper
Chicken, Cabbage and Eggs Filling: • 1 chicken thigh • ½ a lime or lemon, juice reserved • 1 tbsp. epis • 1 tbsp. reserved liquid from chicken • ¼ tsp. salt • ⅛ tsp. garlic powder • ⅛ tsp. onion powder • ⅛ tsp.dried thyme • Pinch of black pepper • 1 clove • 1 cup shredded cabbage • 1 hard boiled egg, diced • 1 tbsp. oil • ¼ cup onions, sliced • ½ hot pepper, diced (optional)
Method 1. Prepare the meat the night before by cleaning, boiling and seasoning with epis. Then, shred the meat into small, thin pieces. 2. Hard boil 10 eggs and cut each into four pieces. 3. Dice onions and green peppers. Add any other veggies you may want. 4. Sauté the vegetables and mix them in with the chicken prepared the night before. Add any extra seasoning and lime. 5. Next, pour flour into a big bowl, add an ample amount of baking soda and butter and mix until it reaches a tender consistency. 6. Add sauce made of water, epis, salt and seasonings of your choice into the flour and continue to mix. Knead the flour until it becomes a dough. 7. Separate the dough into small balls and roll them into flat circles using a roller. 8. Add the prepared meat you want into the middle of the dough. 9. Fold the dough over the meat and press around the edges to close. Press a fork down around the edge of the dough to add a design. 10. Heat vegetable oil in a pan and let it warm for five minutes. 11. Place the uncooked pate in the pan and fry until the crust is a crisp, tan color. 12. Let cool, add pikliz (pickled salad) and enjoy!
The Pate Kode from Chez Katu come with a signature spicy dipping sauce.
Fall 2020 DISTRACTION 21
