spanishportuguese

_Tarta de Santiago—Galicia_   

This is a splendid cake. I have eaten almond cakes in other parts of Spain, but this one is special. Pilgrims and tourists who visit the great Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where the relics of the apostle Saint James are believed to be buried, see the cake in the windows of every pastry shop and restaurant. It is usually marked with the shape of the cross of the Order of Santiago. I have watched the cake being made in many sizes, big and small, thin and thick, over a pastry tart base at a bakery called Capri in Pontevedra. This deliciously moist and fragrant homey version is without a base. There is sometimes a little cinnamon added, but I find that masks the delicate flavor of orange and almonds and prefer it without it.   

When I suggested to a man associated with the tourist office in Galicia that the _tarta_ was a Jewish Passover cake, I was dragged to a television studio to tell it to all. The hosts thought the idea made sense. The Galician city of Coruña is on the Jewish tourist route, because of its synagogue and old Jewish quarter. Jews from Andalusia, who fled from the Berber Almohads' attempts to convert them in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries came to Galicia, where they planted grapevines and made wine.   

The cake is normally made in a wide cake or tart pan and so comes out low, but it is equally good as a thicker cake.

Almond Cake

(1 3/4 cups) blanched whole almonds

eggs,

sugar

orange

lemon

almond extract

Confectioners' sugar

Tarta de Santiago—Galicia
This is a splendid cake. I have eaten almond cakes in other parts of Spain, but this one is special. Pilgrims and tourists who visit the great Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where the relics of the apostle Saint James are believed to be buried, see the cake in the windows of every pastry shop and restaurant. It is usually marked with the shape of the cross of the Order of Santiago. I have watched the cake being made in many sizes, big and small, thin and thick, over a pastry tart base at a bakery called Capri in Pontevedra. This deliciously moist and fragrant homey version is without a base. There is sometimes a little cinnamon added, but I find that masks the delicate flavor of orange and almonds and prefer it without it.
When I suggested to a man associated with the tourist office in Galicia that the tarta was a Jewish Passover cake, I was dragged to a television studio to tell it to all. The hosts thought the idea made sense. The Galician city of Coruña is on the Jewish tourist route, because of its synagogue and old Jewish quarter. Jews from Andalusia, who fled from the Berber Almohads' attempts to convert them in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries came to Galicia, where they planted grapevines and made wine.
The cake is normally made in a wide cake or tart pan and so comes out low, but it is equally good as a thicker cake.

Epicurious

Finely grind the almonds in a food processor.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar to a smooth pale cream. Beat in the zests and almond extract. Add the ground almonds and mix very well.

With clean beaters, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold them into the egg and almond mixture (the mixture is thick, so that you will need to turn it over quite a bit into the egg whites).

Grease an 11-inch springform pan, preferably nonstick, with butter and dust it with flour. Pour in the cake batter, and bake into a preheated 350°F for 40 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch. Let cool before turning out.

Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar. Or, if you like, cut a St. James cross out of paper. Place it in the middle of the cake, and dust the cake with confectioners' sugar, then remove the paper.

Pastéis de nata (or Portuguese egg custard tarts) have a melt-in-the-mouth, fragile, flaky crust and a not-too-sweet custard that is caramelized in spots.

Pastéis de Nata

(600 g

unsalted butter

Sea salt

(600 ml or 20 fl. oz.) whole milk

vanilla

lemons

Confectioners' sugar,

cinnamon,

In 1982 Maria de Lourdes Modesto said the following of the pastel de nata in her essential cookbook Traditional Portuguese Cooking: “These pastries are probably the most important Portuguese specialty ever sold.” Almost four decades later they remain the ultimate national symbol of Portugal. Today’s pastéis de nata recipes are adaptations of the original that dates back to the 16th century, when they were made in monasteries and convents all over the country. These palm-size tarts have a melt-in-the-mouth, fragile, flaky crust and a not-too-sweet custard that is caramelized and darkened in spots. Locals visit their neighborhood pastry shops in search of the best-tasting pastel de nata. The cake pans used to bake these custard tarts are not the same as muffin pans—they are smaller and flatter. You can find them online, or use a 10-cm or 4" round cake pan that is 2 cm or ¾" high.

To make the puff pastry, put the flour into a mound on a work counter. Put 1 ¼ cups plus 2 teaspoons (320 ml or 11 fl. oz.) water into a jug or measuring cup and season with a pinch of salt. Make a small well in the middle of the flour and pour in the water. Start mixing the flour into the water to form a smooth dough, then cover with a dish towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the butter into three equal portions of 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (160 g or 5 ¾ oz.). Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a work counter. Cut the first portion of butter into thin slices and lay these on the food wrap in a 20-cm or 8-inch square. Put a second piece of plastic wrap on top of the butter and use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into a thin 20-cm or 8-inch square sheet. Repeat with the remaining two portions of butter so that you have three sheets of butter. The butter needs to be cool but pliable when added to the dough, so chill the sheets and remove each one from the fridge only 5 minutes before using it.

Roll the dough out on a floured work counter into a 21-cm or 8 ½-inch square. Put a sheet of butter in the center of the dough, leaving a 5-mm or ¼-inch border. Fold the dough and butter in half by folding the top half down, then fold in half again by folding from left to right. Roll out into another 21-cm or 8 ½-inch square, then transfer to a baking sheet, cover and rest in the fridge for 25 minutes. Repeat with the remaining two sheets of butter. Rest the dough each time you add the butter.

When you have used up all the butter, roll the dough into a rectangle 32 x 20-cm or 13 x 8-inches. Roll the dough tightly into a cylinder, starting from the long edge. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.

If using ready-made puff pastry, roll the pastry out to a rectangle 32 x 20-cm or 13 x 8-inches. Roll the pastry tightly into a cylinder, cover and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

To make the filling, put the sugar into a saucepan with 1 ⅓ cups (320 ml or 11 fl. oz.) water and heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat to medium and boil for 8-10 minutes until it reaches 241ºF on a thermometer.

Meanwhile, put the cornstarch, egg yolks, milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and lemon rind into a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Once the sugar has reached temperature, remove the pan from the heat and whisk the syrup into the milk mixture. Mix well, then pour the mixture back into the pan and put over a low heat and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until it thickens. Remove and discard
the lemon rind and vanilla pod, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and leave to cool. Cover and chill until needed.

Using a sharp knife, cut slices from the dough cylinder, about 5-mm or ¼-inch thick, making a downwards cut and not slicing. Each portion should be about 25 g or 1 oz., but this will depend on the size of your pans or pan.

Have a bowl of cold water nearby. Arrange all the cake pans on several baking sheets and keep them in the fridge. One at a time, place a circle of pastry in the bottom of each pan, making sure the layers of butter are seen when viewed from above. This ensures the pastry will rise outwards and upwards as it bakes. Wet your thumb in the cold water and press the dough towards the outer edge of the pan, filling up to the rim. Repeat with all the pans, then put them back in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 475 F°.

Fill the lined pans with the filling, almost to the top. Bake in the oven for 13–15 minutes, or until the filling is almost set with browned spots on the top and the dough is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners’ sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve warm or cold. These tarts are best eaten on the day they are made.

_Keftes de Espinaca_  

 Among my favorite spinach dishes are these simple but delicious patties. Even spinach haters can't resist them, especially when they're splashed with a little fresh lemon juice; fresh juice does make a major difference in taste. Onions add a sweet flavor and textural complexity. These patties are traditional on Passover and Rosh Hashanah, corresponding to the emergence of the early and late spinach crops.

Sephardic Spinach Patties

olive oil oil

onion,

garlic, minced (optional)

matza meal bread crumbs

table salt salt

black pepper

nutmeg

Vegetable oil

Lemon wedges

Keftes de Espinaca
Among my favorite spinach dishes are these simple but delicious patties. Even spinach haters can't resist them, especially when they're splashed with a little fresh lemon juice; fresh juice does make a major difference in taste. Onions add a sweet flavor and textural complexity. These patties are traditional on Passover and Rosh Hashanah, corresponding to the emergence of the early and late spinach crops.

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and, if using, the garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the spinach, matza meal, salt, pepper, and, if using, the nutmeg. Stir in the eggs. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more matza meal. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for a day.

2. Shape the spinach mixture into patties 3 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide, with tapered ends. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat. In batches, fry the patties, turning, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm, accompanied with lemon wedges.

Add 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Muenster, Swiss, Gouda, or Cheddar cheese; or 1/4 cup grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese.

Substitute 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped walnuts for the matza meal.

Add 3/4 cup raisins soaked in white wine for 30 minutes, then drained, and 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts.

If the idea of tomatoes and watermelon together sounds odd to you, this dish will be a revelation. There is a saying that what grows together goes together, and in this case it is true. If you think of tomatoes as a fruit, which they are botanically, this combination makes more sense. Seasonality, however, is the key. I make this salad only in the summer, when tomatoes, watermelon, and cucumbers are at their peak of flavor. Rich, creamy Hass avocadoes are included to lend a nice contrast of flavor and texture. I always toss this salad together before serving, but for the photo opposite I was inspired to create a painstaking mosaic of the ingredients. If you're so inclined, feel free, but don't say I didn't warn you—it takes a lot of time.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

3/4-inch-cubed yellow or red seedless watermelon flesh

Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

chopped mixed fresh herbs,

coriander seed

extra virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

salt and black pepper

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, avocado, and herbs. In a spice grinder, grind the coriander seeds to a fine powder. Add the ground coriander to the tomato mixture and toss gently.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the tomato mixture and toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

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