Imagine biting into a warm pastry that is crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and small enough to disappear in just a few bites. That was one of my first experiences after arriving in Lisbon!
On our first day, my group visited Manteigaria to try pastéis de nata, one of Portugal’s most famous treats. I had barely begun exploring the city, but I was already discovering it through food. A few weeks later, I got to put on an apron at Compadre Cooking School and learn how to make the same pastry myself. I went from tasting my first pastel de nata to proudly eating one that my classmates and I had helped bake.
I tried a pastel de nata, a small Portuguese custard tart. If you have more than one (and you will probably want more than one) they are called pastéis de nata!
Each tart has a flaky pastry shell filled with smooth, sweet custard. The top is baked until it becomes golden brown with dark, caramelized spots. At Manteigaria, we could sprinkle cinnamon over the warm pastries before eating them. Even though the tart looked simple, the combination of crispy pastry, creamy filling and cinnamon made every bite interesting.
