Bottom Belleh (Sierra Leonean Deep Fried Fish Pasties)
Bottom Belleh (Sierra Leonean Deep Fried Fish Pasties) is a traditional Sierra Leonean recipe for a classic deep fried pasty with a fish, peanut butter and tomato purée filling. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Sierra Leonean version of: Sierra Leonean Deep Fried Fish Pasties (Bottom Belleh).
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These are deep-fried pasties from Sierra Leone that have a fish, peanut butter and tomato purée filling with chilli and ginger.
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
1kg (2 1/2 lbs) barracuda fillets (any fish will do)
1 habanero chilli
4 Royco/Maggi stock cubes
1 medium sized brown onion
1 tbsp peanut butter (optional, but tasty)
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp garlic powder
1 thumb sized ginger (not in photo)
4 tbsp oil
For the Pastry:
480g (4 cups) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
180ml (3/4 cup) cold water
100g (3 1/2 oz) butter, at room temperature
Method:
Start by dry steaming the fish (season with a little) over medium heat for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool down.
Now prepare the pastry. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Dice the butter, add to the dry ingredients and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water a little at a time, until the ingredients come together as a dough. Turn out onto your work surface and knead briefly until smooth and elastic. Cover in clingfilm (plastic wrap), transfer to your refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.
Combine the ginger, 1/2 the onion, the chilli and stock cube in a mortar and pound o a smooth paste. Add the peanut butter then flake in the fish. Continue pounding until everything is smooth.
Add 4 tbsp oil to a saucepan over high heat. Once hot, add the remaining onions and fry for 5 minutes until soft and beginning to colour. Add the fish paste and stir to combine then stir in the tomato purée, mixing well to combine.
Fry for 2 minutes then turn out onto a plate. Spread out and set aside to cool (this will take about 10 minutes).
Divide the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. Take the first piece of dough and roll out then cut into rounds with a pastry cutter. Using a teaspoon, spoon the filling mixture onto each round of dough then fold the edges together to form a half mood and press shut with your fingers. Use the tines of a fork to seal the edges.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan over high heat. Once hot drop in your first batch of pastries (do not over-crowd the pan) and fry for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper as you fry the next batch.
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