Brazilian recipe
Creamy Heart of Palm Pie (Torta de Palmito)
A traditional Brazilian savory pie featuring a rich, velvety heart of palm filling encased in a signature melt-in-the-mouth buttery pastry. Perfectly comforting for a relaxed weekend lunch or a special family dinner.
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Ingredients
300 g culinary margarine or lard
500 g all-purpose flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 jar of heart of palm (palmito)
1 and 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 onion, grated
Nutmeg to taste
Pepper to taste
500 g all-purpose flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 jar of heart of palm (palmito)
1 and 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 onion, grated
Nutmeg to taste
Pepper to taste
Where to find ingredients
Heart of palm (palmito) can typically be found in the canned vegetable aisle of well-stocked supermarkets or at local specialty shops catering to Latin American ingredients. If you cannot find heart of palm, look for it in international or specialty food sections. For the dough, use standard baking lard or high-quality culinary margarine found in the dairy or baking aisle. Grated onion, flour, and milk are pantry staples available at any local grocery store.
Preparation method
- Mix the margarine or lard, flour, lemon juice, egg, and salt together until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs
- Wrap the dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you start rolling
- Prepare the filling: in a saucepan, create a white sauce by mixing the milk and the 3 tablespoons of flour, ensuring the flour is dissolved in a little cold milk first to avoid any lumps
- Stir in the grated onion and half of the heart of palm, which you have previously blended with 1/2 cup of milk
- Cook the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken
- Season the sauce with salt, nutmeg, and pepper to suit your palate
- Gently fold the remaining chopped heart of palm into the thickened sauce and combine well
- Press the dough into your pie dish by hand, making sure to cover both the bottom and the sides evenly
- Pour the prepared heart of palm filling over the bottom crust
- Cover the pie with the remaining dough, sealing and shaping the edges as you prefer
- Bake in a preheated oven at high heat for about 40 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden and the filling is bubbling
Observations
This Torta de Palmito is a true staple of Brazilian home cooking, cherished for its unique dough—often called 'massa podre' for its delicate, crumbly texture that practically melts on the tongue. It provides the ideal buttery contrast to the savory, creamy heart of palm filling. Whether you are looking for a show-stopping main dish for a light lunch, a sophisticated appetizer for an evening gathering, or just some authentic Brazilian comfort food, this recipe delivers.
While getting the dough's texture just right takes a little focus, the effort is well worth it for that quintessential flaky finish. The filling is straightforward, designed to highlight the mild, earthy flavor of the heart of palm. Serve this pie warm to truly enjoy the harmony of its textures and flavors.
While getting the dough's texture just right takes a little focus, the effort is well worth it for that quintessential flaky finish. The filling is straightforward, designed to highlight the mild, earthy flavor of the heart of palm. Serve this pie warm to truly enjoy the harmony of its textures and flavors.
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