Sheriff Stephen J talks about his trip to the medieval town of Alfama, Portugal, then bakes Pasteis de Nata that he discovered in the town of Belem, a little over 5 miles away. This is a popular and famous custard tart found and enjoyed throughout Portugal. Currently broadcast on the national public access family television program, “The Children’s Corner.” slouch.org
[Music] Okay. Oh, hi there everybody and welcome to the town of the children’s corner located in the world of the magical couch. I’m Sheriff Steven Jay, the sheriff of Slouch County. And you just caught me doing something I don’t do very often cuz I’m not good at it. But I’m going to bake. That’s right. I’m gonna bake a pastry here. It’s paste data. Paste data is like a very famous pastry that’s made in Portugal. And I was there a while back. Remember I was in Portugal? I told you about I I I was on a river cruise and I was on the Duro River and I went through the Carapetello Dam which has the tallest lock in the world. It was really high almost 115 ft high. the Carropatello Dam. That’s Carapatello or Carapatello, but let’s call it Carropatello. I like that sound. And that dam was built between 1964 and 1971. And it was a first dam built on the Duro River. As you approach the lock from upstream or the front side of the dam where the water is much lower than the back side, you see an enormous opening to your left which your boat will be entering and it exposes a huge chamber uh beyond it. Once you get inside the chamber, the upstream lock door will close behind you, creating a a watertight seal. As a chamber fills with water, there are eight mooring floats on each wall that follow the boats as they go up or down. The water level change, which floats your boat to the top of the lock, is just shy of 115 ft, making it to be one of the highest dams and locks in the world. Well, at any rate, why am I baking if I’m not good at it? Because when I was in Portugal, I brought these back with me from Portugal into the world of the magical couch. They’re made in Portugal, but they’re frozen. So, I’m going to put them into the oven at uh 450° for 15- 18 minutes. And then when they come out, I’m going to sprinkle a little bit of uh powdered sugar and cinnamon on top for the authenticity. And we’re going to have us some custard tarts, paste dinata. So, how did I find out about this? Well, it’s all throughout Portugal, but I was over in Alama and then 5 minutes away is Balem. And BM is where actually this all originated. Well, I’ll tell you, let me tell you a little about it. It’s pretty interesting. So, let’s begin at Alama, which is a district of Lisbon with Lisbon being the capital of Portugal. Alama is not only Lisbon’s oldest neighborhood, but it’s also the start of Lisbon with its history deeply intertwined with the city’s origin. The word Alama comes from the Arabic word alama and that means hot springs, reflecting the area’s Moorish influence. During the Moorish rule, which began in the 8th century, Alama was the whole city of Lisbon. That’s how Lisbon started with Alama. Its labyrinth layout of narrow streets, alleyways, and steep staircases is a testament to its ancient past. Designed to provide shade and protection from the sun. In 868, the county of Portugal was founded as well as a Christian reconista. Now, that was a series of military campaigns that aimed to reclaim territories from the Moors. The last Muslim cities were captured in 1249 and Alama saw significant changes at that time. The neighborhood’s character evolved, blending Moorish and medieval Christian elements. In 1755, Alama was largely untouched by the great Lisbon earthquake that leveled Lisbon but left Alama retaining much of its medieval charm. The resilience of its buildings, some of which date back centuries, stands as a historic reminder of the neighborhood’s enduring legacy. Now, through the centuries, Alama has been home to fishermen and the working poor, who are drawn to its proximity to the river Teagus. The district’s relationship with the river has been fundamental to its identity, with the local community relying on it for their livelihood. This connection to the sea is evident in Alama’s culture and traditions, including its maritime themed festivals and the revered FT music which originated here. FTO emerged in the 1820s and is believed to have roots in the songs of sailors and fishermen who express their feelings of homesickness and longing through music upon returning from sea voyages. This genre is often associated with the sentiment of Saodad, a Portuguese term that encapsulates feelings of nostalgia and yearning. However, it’s not just a musical genre. It’s a reflection of the Portuguese spirit. The themes of photo often revolve around destiny, betrayal, and love and loss, resonating deeply with the experiences of everyday life. The music was traditionally performed in taverns and street corners where fadistas, which is what they call f singers, would captivate audiences with their emotional performances. This musical tradition combined with Alama’s historic architecture and vibrant street life makes it a unique and a captivating part of Lisbon where the past and present coexist harmoniously. In recent decades, Obama has been going through some significant restoration, resulting in changes by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, and in the process, typically displacing the current residents who live there. This transformation has turned Alama from a poor area into a vibrant cultural and tourist hub. The small homes on the ancient streets are slowly becoming small condos and a popular destination for tourists. You can see people arriving with their suitcases in tow, walking up these steep alleyways and staircases to their 300 ft destinations. Some of these are which are too small to even fit a washer and dryer. Not to worry though because Alma still has their community washroom where you can see clothes hanging inside drying as you pass by. Despite these changes, the neighborhood has managed to retain its authentic charm. Visitors can wander through its maze-like streets, discovering historic landmarks such as the Sao Horquet Castle or St. George Castle, of which only the outside walls remain today. The Lisbon Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Mary Major, which is the oldest church in Lisbon, built in 1147 under the reign of King Alfonso Enriquez, and the National Pantheon, which is a burial site for many prominent Portuguese figures, including presidents, writers, and explorers. And it was originally the church of Santa Ingracia. Built in 1568 with a current building begun in 1682 but not completed until 1966. Each of these sites provides a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Alama’s history. Now a little over 5 miles away is Santa Maria de Balem and that’s the home of the famous Portuguese custard tarps. paste dinara and they’re right up there with the Portuguese flag, Portugal’s national bird, which happens to be the parcel’s rooster and the Portuguese state flower, which happens to be lavender. So, what are paste deata tarts? Well, they’re pastries which were inspired by an original recipe called paste de balm, which were created before the 18th century by Catholic monks at the Gono monastery in the civil parish of St. Mary of Bethlehem in Lisbon. At the time, convents and monasteries, they used large quantities of egg whites for starching clothes, such as friars and nuns religious habits. It was quite common for monasteries and convents to use the leftover egg yolks to make cakes and pastries, resulting in the rapid increase of sweet pastry recipes throughout the country. In the aftermath of the liberal revolution of 1820 following the dissolution of religious orders and in the face of the impeding closure of many convents and monasteries, the monks started selling Pa de Natada at a nearby sugar refinery to bring in revenue. In 1834, the monastery was closed and the recipe was sold to the sugar refinery who owns it and keeps it under lock and key to this day. So, what’s the procedure to make a pasta dinada? Well, it starts with the dough. And I can’t really tell you how they make the dough cuz I don’t know how they make the dough, but I know it starts with the dough. Once the dough is made, is rolled into balls and each ball placed into a plastic form, which is the shape of the tart. The dough is shaped to the form after which the custard is added. You then put it in the oven and you bake it for 15 to 18 minutes. When you take it out, you sprinkle a little cinnamon and powdered sugar on top. You’re going to love pasta dinas. Today, the monastery is a major tourist hot spot and a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO being the acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. UNESCO promotes world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture. Well, wasn’t that interesting? Well, I tell you what, it was interesting, but what’s even more interesting is putting these puppies in the the oven and bake them for 15 to 18 minutes. So, we’re supposed we do that right now. And um try some of these. I know I am. Pasta dinner there. Yeah. You know how to get this hot. Woo. Look at that pasta day. Okay. So, now what we’re going to do is Oh, look at that. Pretty. We’re going to put a little bit of powder of sugar on it. Here. Sugar. Sugar. Powdered sugar. Just right. Powdered sugar. Okay. There we go. Powdered sugar is messy. How about a little bit of cinnamon? Little touch cinnamon. Cinnamon. Little tiny bit there. All right. Okay. Paste tada. Look at that. Cinnamon’s melting cuz it’s very hot. You’re supposed to wait 10 minutes for this to cool down before you eat it. So, let’s wait 10 minutes. 10 minutes. Cool down. Let’s try one of these. Oh, flaky crust. That crust is just to die for. I love these things. Straight from Portugal. Doesn’t get any better than this. Well, you know, you’re supposed to after you cook these, consume them within 48 hours. I don’t think consuming them within 48 hours is really going to be a problem.
Dining and Cooking