Brazilian recipe
Heart of Palm Pie with Shortcrust Pastry
A traditional Brazilian savoury pie featuring a delicate, buttery shortcrust pastry filled with a creamy heart of palm mixture. Perfect for a light lunch or a special dinner.
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Ingredients
300g baking margarine or lard
500g standard plain flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 jar (approx. 300g drained) heart of palm
375ml milk
3 tbsp plain flour
1/2 onion, finely grated
Nutmeg to taste
Pepper to taste
500g standard plain flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 jar (approx. 300g drained) heart of palm
375ml milk
3 tbsp plain flour
1/2 onion, finely grated
Nutmeg to taste
Pepper to taste
Where to find ingredients
Heart of palm is commonly found in the international section of major supermarkets like Pak'nSave or Countdown; if unavailable, canned artichoke hearts make a decent substitute in texture, though the flavour profile will differ. Use standard NZ 'standard' grade plain flour.
Preparation method
- Combine the margarine or lard, flour, lemon juice, egg, and salt in a bowl, mixing until you achieve a coarse, crumbly texture.
- Refrigerate the pastry dough for at least 30 minutes before working with it.
- Prepare the filling: in a saucepan, create a white sauce by combining the milk with the 3 tablespoons of flour, ensuring the flour is dissolved in a little cold milk beforehand to avoid lumps.
- Stir in the grated onion and half of the heart of palm, previously blended with a splash of milk.
- Cook the white sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken.
- Season the sauce with salt, nutmeg, and pepper to your preference.
- Stir in the remaining hearts of palm, chopped into bite-sized pieces, and mix thoroughly.
- Line a baking tin with the pastry, using your hands to press it evenly across the bottom and up the sides.
- Pour the prepared heart of palm mixture into the pastry-lined tin.
- Roll out or patch the remaining pastry over the top to seal the pie, decorating or crimping the edges as you like.
- Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C) for approximately 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Observations
This heart of palm pie, known as 'torta de palmito', is a beloved staple in Brazilian kitchens, celebrated for its comforting and savoury profile. The 'massa podre'—a traditional shortcrust pastry prized for its crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture—offers the perfect contrast to the rich, creamy heart of palm filling. It is a highly versatile dish, equally suited as a main course for a casual lunch, a sophisticated starter for an evening meal, or an elevated savoury snack.
While mastering the texture of the shortcrust requires a bit of care, the result is immensely rewarding. The filling is straightforward to prepare, designed to showcase the subtle, earthy flavour of the heart of palm. Serve this pie warm to truly enjoy the quality of this homemade classic.
While mastering the texture of the shortcrust requires a bit of care, the result is immensely rewarding. The filling is straightforward to prepare, designed to showcase the subtle, earthy flavour of the heart of palm. Serve this pie warm to truly enjoy the quality of this homemade classic.
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