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Torta de palmito
Torta de palmito: São Paulo shortcrust pie of creamy heart of palm, peas, olives and tomato
BrazilianPaulistano families bring this pie to Sunday lunch, to Easter and to every bring-a-plate party, and padarias sell it by the slice next to the coxinhas. A crumbly, buttery crust encloses a creamy filling of heart of palm with tomato, peas, green olives and parsley, set with a little cornflour so it slices cleanly but stays moist. It is good warm or cold, with a green salad or just on its own. Look for palm hearts from cultivated pupunha palms. The commonest problem is a soggy base from a filling that is too wet or too warm; cook it until thick and let it cool before it goes in. Chef's tip: bake the pie on a preheated tray on the bottom shelf, so the base gets a blast of heat and crisps before the filling can soak in.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pastry
For the filling
To glaze
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (9)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 7 oz cold unsalted butter into 14 oz plain flour and 1 tsp salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg and 4 tbsp cold water and bring together into a smooth dough without kneading. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Cook 1 onion for 4 minutes, until soft, then add 2 cloves garlic and 2 tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, until the tomatoes break down.
7 minStep 3: Add 14 oz heart of palm, 3 ½ oz frozen peas, 2 ⅛ oz green olives, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
3 minStep 4: Whisk 2 tbsp cornflour into 1 ¼ cups milk, add to the pan and stir over a low heat for 4–5 minutes, until thick and creamy. Stir in 3 tbsp parsley and leave to cool completely.
5 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) with a baking tray on the bottom shelf. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and line a 23 cm loose-based tart tin, letting the edges overhang.
Step 6: Spoon in the cool filling and level it. Roll out the rest of the pastry for a lid, lay it on top, trim and crimp the edges to seal, and cut a small steam hole in the centre.
Step 7: Brush with 1 egg yolk and bake on the hot tray for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden and the base is crisp when you lift the edge.
42 minStep 8: Rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torta de palmito take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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