Searching for a medieval synagogue led us to some of the most delectable custard pies ever to cross our taste buds.
By ISAAC MASSIASPortugal(photo credit: AYA MASSIAS)
I always thought that the best pasteis de nata – or custard pies – were found in the town of Belem in northern Portugal. However, on my last visit to Portugal I was proven wrong. As I was searching for an old synagogue in the town of Tomar, my senses were drawn across the road to a tiny family pastry shop. As I soon discovered, this pastry shop has been in Tomar for more than five generations, owned by a local family and consistently baking the most incredible pasteis de nata that have ever crossed my taste buds.Being the food enthusiast that I am, I couldn’t help but ask for the recipe. However, to my disappointment this traditional family recipe would not be shared outside the family.The incredible synagogue in Tomar, built in the 15th century, is a rare example of a medieval synagogue. In fact, it is the only synagogue of its type to have been fully preserved from this period, in Portugal. The successful survival is due to Señora Maria Teresa Calvayo Vasco.Vasco is a lovely Jewish lady born in the town of Belmonte.She moved to Tomar with her husband, also a Jew from Belmonte, 50 years ago with a single mission in mind: to take care of the old synagogue.Vasco, who still wears traditional black mourning clothes despite her husband having died more than five years ago, opens the synagogue every day to receive tourists from all over the world with a warm inviting smile across her a face. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to sit and talk to her over a cup of coffee. She told me about the rich Jewish heritage Portugal has, about how the community used to be and would probably never be again, and most importantly, how some things never change, especially the legacy of traditional Portuguese Jewish recipes, some of which she shared with me and I will share with you today.Today's recipes include easy-to-make pasteis de nata custard pies, roast duck with honey, ginger, bitter oranges and fresh rosemary, and finally, grilled bonito served on polenta with tropical fruits. Custard pies (“pasteis de nata”)Serves 15For the pastry cups:❖ 1 kg. puff pastry from supermarketFor the custard:❖ 1 liter milk❖ 2 tsp. vanilla❖ 500 gr. sugar❖ 100 gr. cornstarch❖ Peel of half a lemon❖ 2 cinnamon sticks❖ 2 eggs❖ 8 egg yolksPreheat oven to 190º, lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry. In a medium-size pot, combine the milk, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla, and cook, stirring until mixture thickens. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon sticks. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then add all the eggs and mix with a hand mixer until you get a very creamy consistency.Put mixture into each of the muffin cups that were lined with the puff pastry, then bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You can serve them hot or cold. Always sprinkle with cinnamon powder before eating.Roast duck with honey, ginger, bitter oranges and fresh rosemaryServes 4❖ 1 large duck, around 2 kg.❖ ½ cup honey❖ ½ cup soya❖ ½ cup fresh ginger, chopped❖ ½ cup fresh rosemary, chopped❖ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil❖ 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped❖ ½ cup fresh orange juice (bitter oranges)❖ Sea salt and pepper to tasteStart by heating oven to the maximum heat. When very hot, place duck in a tray and cook for about 30 minutes. All or most of the duck’s fat will start melting. After 30 minutes, remove duck from the oven and throw away all the melted fat that has accumulated in the tray.In a big bowl mix the honey, ginger, rosemary, olive oil, garlic, soya and orange juice and cover duck with this mixture, leaving it for about an hour to rest so that the duck absorbs all the flavors. Bake again for a further 45 minutes.You will notice the dark and crispy color of the duck's skin. Remove from the oven and cut into four pieces with a good knife. Serve with couscous and baby vegetables.Grilled bonito on polentaServes 4For the bonito:❖ 1 kg. fresh bonito fillets❖ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil❖ Sea salt and pepper to tasteFor the polenta:❖ 150 ml. milk❖ 150 gr. cornmeal❖ 75 gr. butter❖ 30 gr. Parmesan cheese❖ ¾ tsp. saltStart by heating the milk. When it boils, add the cornmeal and salt. Finally, add the butter and Parmesan, mixing it all the time. It should be nice and creamy.Place a medium-size pan on the fire. When very hot, add the bonito fillets, cook each fillet only five minutes on each side, then cut some tropical fruits, such as mango, kiwi and pineapple into cubes. To prepare and serve, place a scoop of polenta on each plate, then cut bonito fillets into 2.5-cm. slices and place on top of the polenta. Decorate with your fruit and any nice green leaves you might have, such as mint, parsley or tarragon.All of this preparation has to be done very quickly so that none of the ingredients can get cold.The writer is a trained chef from the Savoy Hotel London and former owner of restaurants in Israel and New York. Today, he and his wife Aya run Yaya Food & Travel Ltd (Kosher Jewish heritage and gourmet culinary tours around Europe). www.jewishheritagetourseurope.com; massiasisaac@ yahoo.es
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