Caribbean Saltfish Patties

Place the salt cod in a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Soak overnight to draw out the excess curing salt, changing the water at least once during the process.

Drain the soaked salt cod and transfer to a medium pot. Cover with fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Drain well, then use a fork to actively flake the fish into small pieces, discarding any hidden bones or tough skin.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and turmeric powder. Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Gradually drizzle the ice cold water into the flour mixture while gently tossing with a fork. Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a rough ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and chill the butter.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, scallions, and minced scotch bonnet pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes until the aromatics soften and become highly fragrant.

Add the flaked salt cod, diced tomato, fresh thyme, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook together for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to meld the flavors. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the filling to cool completely at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to an even 3mm thickness. Using a bowl or pastry cutter, punch out circles approximately 12cm in diameter. Re-roll scraps once to cut the remaining circles.

Place about 20 grams (roughly one and a half tablespoons) of the cooled saltfish filling into the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges firmly with the tines of a fork to seal the filling completely inside.

Transfer the sealed patties to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the water. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top of each patty with the egg wash to encourage browning. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling the raw egg.

Bake the patties at 200C/400F for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed, flaky, and golden brown. Ensure the internal temperature of the filling reaches at least 74C/165F. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.