Brazilian recipe
Creamy Brazilian Palm Heart Pie (Empadão de Palmito)
A crowd-pleasing, savoury Brazilian pie with a golden, flaky crust and a rich, creamy heart of palm filling. Simple to whip up and perfect for a family feast.
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Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 to 3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
100g black olives, chopped
300g hearts of palm, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Fresh parsley and scallions to taste
1 carton (approx. 200g) table cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt to taste
1 egg yolk for brushing
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 to 3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
100g black olives, chopped
300g hearts of palm, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Fresh parsley and scallions to taste
1 carton (approx. 200g) table cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt to taste
1 egg yolk for brushing
Where to find ingredients
All-purpose flour, eggs, onions, and bell peppers are easily sourced at any local Jamaican supermarket or fresh produce market. 'Hearts of palm' (palmito) can be found in the canned vegetable aisle of major supermarkets or in specialty sections that carry international or Latin pantry staples. For the 'table cream' (creme de leite), look for the shelf-stable cans often stocked in the baking or international food aisles. Black olives and cornstarch are standard pantry items readily available island-wide. If you cannot find fresh herbs, dried alternatives work, but for the true Brazilian experience, fresh parsley and scallions from the market are highly recommended.
Preparation method
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, mayonnaise, eggs, and salt, adding water little by little until you have a smooth, pliable dough
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the grated onion until it turns golden
- Add the chopped bell peppers, hearts of palm, olives, and tomato to the pan
- Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into a splash of water or a little of the table cream until smooth, making sure there are no lumps
- Pour the table cream and the cornstarch mixture into the pan with the vegetables, cooking for another 3 minutes while stirring until the sauce thickens nicely
- Season with salt to your liking and stir in the freshly chopped parsley and scallions
- Take the filling off the heat and let it cool down completely before assembling
- Press about half of the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish or baking pan
- Spread the cooled heart of palm filling evenly over the dough base
- Roll out the rest of the dough to cover the pie, pressing the edges firmly to seal it shut
- Brush the top of the crust with the beaten egg yolk for a beautiful golden finish
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 50 minutes, or until the top is perfectly golden brown
Observations
The 'Empadão de Palmito' is a real staple of Brazilian home cooking, loved by everyone for its buttery, crisp pastry and that signature creamy, succulent filling. It's incredibly versatile—great for a big family Sunday lunch, a special dinner, or even cut into small squares as a tasty snack at a gathering.
This version makes things easy without cutting corners on flavour. By using mayonnaise in the dough, you get an amazingly tender texture that practically melts in your mouth, while the filling—packed with fresh-tasting heart of palm, sautéed onions, bell peppers, and savoury black olives—gives you that authentic taste. A splash of cream and a handful of fresh herbs pull everything together for a proper comfort food experience.
This version makes things easy without cutting corners on flavour. By using mayonnaise in the dough, you get an amazingly tender texture that practically melts in your mouth, while the filling—packed with fresh-tasting heart of palm, sautéed onions, bell peppers, and savoury black olives—gives you that authentic taste. A splash of cream and a handful of fresh herbs pull everything together for a proper comfort food experience.
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