(Pasteis de Tentúgal)
Regarded as one of the seven iconic dishes of Portuguese cuisine, pastel de Tentúgal is a traditional Portuguese pastry with an intriguing history dating back to the 16th century. It is made with doce de ovos, a traditional Portuguese egg custard that is wrapped in paper-thin dough, then baked until golden brown and crispy.
The tradition of preparing pastel de Tentúgal was started by the Carmelite nuns, who used to stretch the dough in specialized rooms covered in white sheets. Interestingly, the dough was supposed to be extremely thin so that the Bible could be read through it.
The nuns would then butter the whole surface of the dough and cut out rectangular shapes which were subsequently filled with the sweet filling. For centuries, the entire preparation of this sweet treat has been passed down orally, without any written records. Read more
It was only in 1898–when the last nun passed away–that the recipe was adopted by a guesthouse Dona Maria da Conceição Faria. Until the middle of the 20th century, this establishment remained the only exclusive location where pastel de Tentúgal could be manufactured and sold.
Following their success, numerous other bakers in Tentúgal started to produce this authentic Portuguese pastry, and in 2013, the product and the city received a government certification allowing them to be the only location in the world licensed to produce the original pastel de Tentúgal.
Usually dusted with powdered sugar, pastel de Tentúgal is often served alongside a cup of strong Portuguese coffee.
