Luís Antunes | Comments Off | Pastel de Nata (Portuguese Egg Tarts)
Sábado, Março 24, 2007 at 03:59PM 
Pastel de Nata or Pastel de Belém is a small cream tart found throughout Portugal's pastry shops or cafés. It is believed that it was created before the 18th century by Catholic Sisters at the Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) of Belém, in Lisbon.
Casa Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon was the first place outside the convent selling this creamy dessert, and there they're called Pastéis de Belém, after the name of this area. Since 1837, locals have come here to get them warm out of the oven and sprinkle with the cinnamon and powdered sugar.
The Portuguese historian João Medina refers to Pastel de Natal as one of Portuguese trademarks in his book "Portuguesismos". But that is not the reason why I visit so often the Casa Pastéis de Belém...
Luís Antunes | Comments Off | 

