Patty is a flat disc shaped food item usually made up of ground meat mixed with various ingredients. Patties are available in almost all parts of the world with little variations. There are various forms in which this dish is available. The shape, size and ingredients of this disc-shaped item depend upon the recipe and the cuisine.
Ireland, UK, USA and France are the main places where patty is quite popular. There are many doubts on how to make patties, but each and every cuisine has their own methods and ingredients. Though meat and meat substitutes are the mainstay of this popular dish, however, for vegans and vegetarians the burgers made up of vegetables and cheese are also readily available.
Serving and eating of patty is also quite different in distinct regions. Few people like it as a stuffing or some eat it alone. It is usually served with various kinds of dips and accompaniments that complement its taste. Patty is usually bland with very few spices, but in certain recipes, spicy ingredients are incorporated to give a fiery taste to the dish.
This dish is not only relished by kids but people of all age groups relish it with greater pleasure.
Patty made up of meat is popularly known as ‘burger’ or ‘hamburger’. French term ‘pate’ is the derivative word for the American-English word patty. Though the origin of this famous food item is unclear, but it is said that it was first introduced in medieval times. It is believed that Turkish warriors at that time use to keep the pieces of beef while riding, under their saddles. The pieces then turn out to be flat and tender due to the weight of the rider over the saddle. In this way the first beef patty was birthed.
This food item was first introduced in America around 19th century by the German immigrants. Till now it was the raw beef meat that was used to make patties, but American cuisine had played an important role in developing the cooked form of flat burger or today’s ‘Hamburger’. Although it is proved that Americans are the first one to give birth to the modern day patty but there are still many claims regarding the introduction of burger to the world. Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin are among the main claims.
Patty is well-known for its ground meat combination with many flavorful ingredients. Ground meat either cooked or raw can be used to make the base for the dish. Various other components such as chopped onion, ginger, green chilies and chopped parsley are added to give flavor to the meat. Dry spices and herbs such as pepper, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder or flavorful herbs are inculcated according to the recipe and the taste.
Beef is the main meat used for the patty, but other meats such as lamb meat. Chicken, pork and even fish is also used for this purpose. Bread crumbs are often mixed with the ground meat as a binder and it also provides crispiness. In absence of bread crumbs, dry corn flour may be added to bind the ingredients. The flatten ball of meat may also be dipped in a corn flour batter before deep-frying.
This is the topic of big debate that how to make patties for vegetarians and vegans. Mashed potato, crumbled cheese, boiled vegetables and greens are some of the main components that can be used to make vegetarian patty. The flavoring ingredients, binding agents and even the herbs used are almost similar to the meat version. Nowadays, several variations of the patty are available that include lentils and legumes as well.
Grilling is one of the oldest and most common methods of making patty. Since the time of the introduction of hamburgers, patties are made by grilling the meat mixture. All the ingredients are combined together to for thick dough like paste. Large balls of dough are flattened to give the shape to the patty. Shape is usually round, but it can be elongated or oval according to the recipe.
The flatten balls are then kept on a grill to cook. Grounded meat takes very less time in getting done. Deep-frying, pan-frying and even baking are some of the new methods of making patty. Prior to deep-frying, the patty is dipped in a corn flour to give a crispy outer layer. Breadcrumbs can either be mixed with the meat or the meat mixture is coated with the crumbs before frying.
Baking is usually done for the patties in order to avoid excess calories involved in frying method. With the commercialization of the hamburgers, the various modern machines are being used to give shape to this flatten piece of mashed ingredients.
There are various methods of eating patty. It can be eaten with fork if served in dishes like ‘Salisbury steak’. Hamburgers that include beef burger inside are usually eaten with hands. Mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato slices are also stuffed with patty in the burger. Hamburger is typically served with French fries or potato chips. Dips like tomato ketchup and mustard sauce complement the burger or meat sandwich.
Typically it is a dish that can be eaten alone as well as snacks. In Ireland there are various recipes such as spice burger and batter burger that are specially served in a greaseproof bag made of paper and usually eaten with hands.
Vegetarian patty is also similarly served by stuffing in between the bread. It can also be eaten as a snack alone with dips and sauces.
Patty is made of various ingredients that are full of protein and other nutrients. Beef is considered a fatty meat; hence healthy substitutes can be included. Chicken, fish and even potato patties are quite healthy.
The health factor depends upon the cooking method as well. Grilling and baking are the healthy methods, but deep-frying is not good for health as it calls for oil and fat in large quantities. Patty served with creamy sauce and calorific mayonnaise is indeed an unhealthy dish.