Pastel de Nata (or Pastéis de Belém) is a delicacy in Portugal.
I was overwhelmed and overjoyed with the countless amount of Pastelarias (pastry shops) in Lisbon. My sweet tooth was in overdrive, and each time I entered a Pastelaria I was engulfed with delightful smells and yummy goodness. Not only did each pastry taste and look delicious, they were cheap! The most famous of all the pastries was Pastel de Nata.
Eating a traditional Pastéis de Belém from the original pastry shop
Pastel de Nata is a Portuguese egg tart that was believed to be created during the 19th century by Catholic Monks in a Parish called Santa Maria de Belem (hence why the alternative name is Pastéis de Belém). Of course, I had to try one for myself from the original source. The craze began in 1837, when locals and tourists began flocking to the
bakery to stand in lines extending out the door, simply for the chance to purchase one of the treats straight out of the oven. Several pastry shops have successfully made their own versions of the famous tart, but
if you want a guaranteed food orgasm, go for the original!
The traditional way to eat the tart is to eat it warm during the peak of freshness, and to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Boom!
Despite the less-than-divine fat and cholesterol content, it is worth the calories to indulge in the heavenly, magical, buttery, flaky tart with the slightly charred top. The original recipe remains a closely guarded secret with only a handful of people knowing the recipe since its creation.
A Pastel de Nata in Macau
Macau (which was once ruled by the Portuguese) also sells several variations of the tart.
It does not compare! I even had to toss more than half of the Macau version in the trash. Massive sad face. If you are going to splurge on the calories, and are in Lisbon, definitely brave the lines and get the original!
Date Accomplished: October 30th, 2011
