Patty

A patty is a flattened, round piece of ground meat or meat alternative that's shaped, cooked, and served in various dishes. Although you can enjoy a patty with a knife and fork in meals such as Salisbury steak, it is most famously recognized as the primary component of a "burger" or "hamburger" when made from ground beef. The term "patty" is widely used in the United States but is less common in Britain and Ireland.

Patties are not limited to ground beef. They can be made from turkey, fish, or even vegetarian ingredients like soy, beans, or mixed vegetables. In Ireland, traditional chip shops, known locally as "chippers" offer unique items such as the batter burger—a beef patty dipped in batter and deep-fried—and the spice burger, a savory mix of meats and spices. These are typically enjoyed straight from a greaseproof paper bag.

In India, vegetarian patties are quite popular. When patties are mass-produced, they might have irregular shapes or bumpy edges due to the machinery used to align them on the production line. Some boxed patties even feature small punctures on the top and bottom to aid this process.