"The use of egg whites to starch religious garments in the early eighteenth century was the catalyst for what is now one of Portugal's most famous dishes. That practice led to a surplus of egg yolks, and to avoid waste, monks and nuns invented rich, egg-yolk-based desserts and pastries. The famous custard tart baked in a crispy pastry shell was created at the Jeronimos Monastery in Belem, Lisbon, and the pasteis de nata were initially sold to help support the monastery."
"While official prizes are awarded each year in the city, it remains a most subjective experience. You can happily spend days eating and appreciating the subtle variations these iconic custard tarts offer. From the flakiness of the pastry, the sweetness and wobble of the filling, to whether you like to add a shaking of both cinnamon and sugar, there is much to divide opinion."
Egg whites were used to starch religious garments in early eighteenth-century Portugal, creating a surplus of egg yolks that led monks and nuns to invent rich, egg-yolk-based desserts and pastries. The custard tart in a crispy pastry shell originated at the Jeronimos Monastery in Belem, Lisbon, and was sold to support the monastery. After financial strain following Portugal's Liberal Revolution, the monastery sold the recipe to a nearby sugar refinery; in 1837 the refinery owners opened the Pasteis de Belem bakery, which continues to use the original recipe. Portuguese explorers carried the recipe to former colonies, where local ingredients produced regional variations, and Pasteis de Nata are now found worldwide while Lisbon remains central to the classic version and local preferences vary widely.
Read at www.london-unattached.com
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