Gizzada

Gizzada

"Gizzada is a Jamaican coconut pastry tart. The tart is contained in a small, crisp pastry shell with a pinched crust and filled with a sweet and spiced coconut filling."

Ingredients

For the pastry tart:

2 cups all-purpose flour

Ice water

1 teaspoon shortening

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

1 cup water

1 ½ cups freshly grated coconut

1 ½ cups brown sugar

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 oz. butter

Directions:

To prepare the filling - Boil water and sugar together to make syrup on ow heat. Add the grated coconut and nutmeg to the syrup. Stir the ingredients so it does not thicken. Boil for 15 minutes, the add the butter. Stir ingredients for another 6 minutes. Be sure the butter is not visible in the filling. Allow the filling to cool.

To prepare the pastry: Sift flour and salt together. Cut the butter and shortening in to small pieces, add to the flour along with the cold water. Knead into a dough. Place the pastry into a cling wrap and refrigerate for ½ an hour. Remove the pastry from the fridge and using a rolling pin to roll the pastry on a cutting board or counter to a ¼ inch thickness. (Flour the board first). Cut circles in the pastry using an 8-oz cup/glass. (You can also use a cookie cutter). Cut 16 circles from it, crimping (pinching) each of the pastry circles to form a casing. It will be holder for the filling, like little baskets. Crimp in a uniform pattern as this will give the decorated effect. Place the casings on a greased tray and part-bake in the oven (at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes). Remove it from the oven and then add the filling to the baked pastry. Bake the gizzadas for another 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven allow to cool. Serve with hot tea or coffee.