Sweet ripe plantain mashed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, enclosed in a flaky pastry shell and baked until golden, a classic Jamaican treat.
Ingredients
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3 very ripe plantains, peeled and sliced
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1 cup brown sugar
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1 tsp ground cinnamon
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1 tsp ground nutmeg
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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2 tbsp butter
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Pinch of salt
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For pastry: 2 cups flour, 100g cold butter, 1 tsp salt, cold water
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1 egg for egg wash
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Red food coloring optional
Instructions
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1
Boil plantain slices in water until very soft, about fifteen minutes. Drain well and mash until smooth with no lumps remaining.
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2
Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, butter, and salt to mashed plantain. Cook over low heat five minutes until thick.
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3
A drop of red food coloring is traditional and gives the filling its characteristic pink tint. Let the filling cool completely.
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4
Make pastry by rubbing cold butter into flour and salt. Add cold water until dough forms. Roll thin and cut circles.
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5
Place a spoonful of cooled plantain filling on each pastry circle. Fold over and crimp edges firmly with a fork to seal.
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6
Brush with beaten egg and bake at 180C for twenty-five minutes until pastry is golden brown and flaky. Cool slightly before eating.
Did You Know?
The traditional red food coloring in plantain tart filling is so iconic that a tart without the pink hue is considered incomplete by Jamaican bakers.