N is for Nata, Pastel de Nata
How could my Personal A to Z of Portugal not include the nation’s most famous cake, pastel de nata?
A light, slightly flaky, crispy pastry cup holds a sweet, smooth creamy custard filling which is browned off in the oven, giving them a home-made, slightly burnt appearance. They may not look especially appetising to the uninitiated but trust me, these little custard tarts taste delicious.
Pastéis de Nata, image courtesy of ART-Ko. Click photo for link to Flickr page
Many of Portugal’s best cakes were originally baked by monks and nuns, and the original recipe for pastéis de nata came from the monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belem, Lisbon. These days, people queue outside the most famous specialist bakery Casa Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon which began producing these cakes using the monks’ secret recipe after Portugal’s monasteries and convents were closed down in the 19th century.
Don’t worry if you can’t get to Lisbon, pastéis de nata seem to be the nation’s favourite cake and you’ll find them in almost every café, pastry shop and bakery across Portugal. In fact, the Portuguese are so fond of their little custard tarts that they can be found pretty much anywhere where there’s a strong Portuguese presence.
The first time I tried one was in a little Portuguese café cum delicatessen in Barcelona’s Gràcia district where they just couldn’t bake them fast enough to satisfy the queue of people. Pastéis de nata gained such popularity in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, that they’re also loved on mainland China and sold in places like KFC!
Back in Portugal, if you’re looking for a bit of variety, during the annual chocolate festival in Óbidos, you can even get freshly baked chocolate pastéis de nata. Yum!
What’s your favourite Portuguese cake? Let me know in the comments so I can track it down and try it.
This post is part of my Personal A to Z of Portugal. If you’ve missed my previous posts, you can find them here.
For other Personal A to Zs of Portugal and other countries by fellow bloggers, check out My A to Z Challenge.
If you’re feeling inspired enough to take on the Personal A to Z Challenge yourself, you can find all the details here.
[...] N is for Nata, Pastel de Nata [...]
[...] N is for nata, pastel de nata [...]
[...] N is for nata, pastel de nata [...]
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Even here in London is easy to find some, and they are as delicious as in Portugal. Just sprinkle some cinnamon on top and you have it perfect!
Glad you don’t have to miss out on them now you’re living in London
Hi Julie,
I live in Mexico and here they often sell gorditas de nata – little flat round cakes which are absolutely delicious! They usually sell you a paper bag with 5 of them, which is way too many, but I eat them anyway.
They sound too good to bother resisting
Hi Julie! I was drowning in “nata” last week but more often the savoury variety in bacalhau or with peru or frango. One of my favourite restaurants in Tavira, “A Taska” is run by a guy from Santarem and he does delish port and whisky cream sauces.
This is the event to go for “doces conventuais” http://www.docesconventuais.com/#; meanwhile, until November 2012, you can go to Pastelaria Alcoa in Alcobaça to have a taste…
I like “Queijadas” and “Travesseiros de Sintra”, “Encharcada”, “Fatias de Tomar”, “Pastéis de Feijão de Torres Vedras”, “Dom Rodrigo do Algarve”, “Clarinhas de Fão”, etc, etc, etc
Hi Fernanda, I’ll have to go to one of those cake fairs, you’re right. I love queijadas too and will have to try the other cakes you suggest…
Just been here 7 days and have scoffed loads of Pasteis de Nata love ‘em and am going to e big as a house if this carries on….. they are soooo good! slightly warmed
total bliss!
Dee
I agree, Dee. They’re lovely, but not good for the waistline!
Hello!!! The ones that came from the Monks of Monastery of Belém are Pasteis de Belém. Pasteis de Nata are most commonly found in Portugal, but these ones (Pasteis de Belem) are only found at Casa dos Pasteis de Belém, very close to the Monastery. Although Pasteis de Nata and Pasteis de Belem are very similar in appearance, they are different. No one has the recipe of Pastel de Belem. They are made in a secret place inside Casa dos Pasteis de Belem, known as “Oficina do Segredo” (The Secret’s office) by confectioners who have signed an official document to not reveal the recipe to anyone!
Otherwise, many portuguese make pasteis de nata even at home, there’s a lot of recipes to make pasteis de nata. Both are delicious, but Pasteis de Belem are unique!
Thanks, Ana. I knew the monks had passed on their secret recipe to Casa dos Pasteis de Belém and had it patented but I didn’t realise that their pastéis were distinguished by a different name.
They are distinguished by a different name, because they are different as well. The filling of a Pastel of Belem is made, as far as I know, only with eggs. The filling of a Pastel de Nata is made with cream. Other major difference is the cup: pastel de nata has it thicker.
I feel a taste test coming on…