Portuguese Frittata Recipes

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.

PORTUGUESE FRITTATA

Steps:

• Pre-Heat oven to 350°F.
• In a bowl whisk together eggs, cream, 1-teaspoon salt and 1-teaspoon pepper.
• Melt butter in a 8 inch cast iron skillet, add sausage and saute 3-5 minutes. Add potatoes, peppers, onions, Hungarian Paprika, salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables 2-3 minutes.
• Pour eggs into skillet, add 1/4 cup Casteloes Cheese and spread evenly over the skillet.
• Place skillet on a sheet pan and bake frittata for 15-minutes. Add 1/4 cup Casteloes Cheese and bake 5-minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for 5- minutes, slice and serve on a warm plates.
• Garnish with a sliced Navel Orange or fresh fruit.

PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE FRITTATA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the chouriço and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl. Turn the heat to medium-low and toss the onions and potatoes into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the onions and potatoes and garlic, along with the peppers, into a bowl with the chouriço. Remove the skillet from the heat and wipe it out.
• Heat the broiler. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until fluffy and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour the eggs over the chouriço and potato mixture in the bowl and gently toss to combine.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and warm it over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, quickly stir to cook the eggs briefly, then jiggle the skillet to settle its contents. Run the spatula around the sides of the skillet to prevent the tortilha from sticking. Crank up the heat to medium-high and cook until the edges are set, 3 to 4 minutes. Slide the skillet under the broiler and cook until the top is nicely browned and no puddles of drippy egg remain, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the tortilla onto a large platter and sprinkle with the parsley or slice it and serve it straight from the skillet, just as my grandmother did.