It’s funny how things happen sometimes.

One minute you’re sitting on the couch daydreaming about having a relaxing day and the next you’re in the kitchen elbow deep in flour.     How does this happen?

On any given day I’m planted firmly on the couch catching up on my Bravo shows.  Somewhere in between a neck roll and a cussing it occurs to me that only one thing can make this moment perfect and that would be_____ (insert food).   I have 3 addictions.

  1. Trashy Reality TV shows
  2. Aimlessly wandering the road from store to store
  3. Food

I try to do any two things on that list at any given time.  I would love to do all three but I’m pretty sure it’s illegal in all 50 states to drive, while eating a sandwich and watching Real Housewives of _____.   At some point when the urge to eat ____ is overwhelming I will hop off the couch and start going through my fridge and pantry.  If ingredients are missing to make said dish I will leave to go to the store.  I say leave because at this point I will be aimlessly wondering from store to store before or after I grab what I need.

See how that happens?  I go from watching number 1 while thinking about number 3 to doing number 2 on the hunt for number 3….keeping track?

This is exactly how I decided to make these Curry Chicken Patties.    Do yourself a favor and make these…yeah they’re that good.   Half of these were supposed to go to my Mother-in-law, the saint, who brings me food from time to time…but alas…the furthest these made it were to our plates.  Yeah…I know….I do feel bad, but I am not ashamed.

Curry Chicken Patties

Loosely adapted from The Essential Finger Food Cookbook

Pastry

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp curry powder

6 ½ oz cold butter

2 egg yolks

7 tbsp cold water

Filling

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 onion, chopped

5 sprigs thyme

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 scallion finely chopped

1 chicken bouillon

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp flour

1 cup chicken stock

3 tbsp mango chutney

1 egg yolk, for basting pastry

Makes 20 pastries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place cumin, curry and flour into a large bowl.  Rub butter into flour using fingertips until mixture resembles small breadcrumbs.   I used my food processor to quicken the process.   Make a well and add egg yolks and water.  Mix to form dough.    Form dough into a ball and then flatten, cover with cling wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While dough chills, make the filling.  In a small bowl, place curry powder, garlic and enough water to form a paste. Over a medium fire, heat canola oil.   Add curry paste and onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.   If the mixture gets dry, add a tablespoon of water.  Add chicken thighs, thyme; cook for 10 minutes then add chicken stock.  Bring to boil, then lower the fire to a simmer.   Cook for 20 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon of flour; stir.   Cook until the sauce has thickened.   Remove chicken and shred finely.  Add chicken, mango chutney and scallion into the sauce; mix well.   Remove from fire and cool.

Prepare egg wash by mixing 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water.

While filling cools, remove the dough from the refrigerator.  On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness.   Cut 3 inch circles (you can use a biscuit cutter or a glass) to fit the tart pans.  Place half of the cutout pastries in the pan.   Place a spoonful of filling into each patty.  Try to fill each patty with the same amount.  Brush ends with egg wash, place the remaining pastry on the top.  Go around the edges with a fork to seal.  Make a small slit on the top.  Brush tops with egg wash.  Place in oven and cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Eat while warm.

Notes:  If you cannot find mango chutney, add chopped ripe mango.  Yes, ripe mango.  I know that we typically use green mango in curry, but I wanted the sweetness of the ripe mango.