The
memories that we connect to flavours and smells, are such an intense part of our
live, that I believe we should take more time to bring them alive in our busy days.
The smell
of this eggs biscuits and the flavour, transports me to such happy moments.
Arriving in Alentejo and being welcomed by my peculiar granny, my lovely aunt
and my very elegant poet grandfather, always wearing his three peice suit and a
felt hat, even when the heat was above 40 degrees.
My
grandmother Liolinda, for sure had prepared some special sweets, as that was
her speciality. Normally this broas or couquinhos (little sweets made with
coconut and egg yolk), for when my sister and I visited her during our long
summer holidays or, festive events of the calendar like Easter or Carnival.
I also
remember after breaking up a relationship of 6 years, running to Alentejo to
heal the wounds, and my dear aunt Fatinha, telling me: Let’s go to the kitchen,
and bring up good memories, so we cooked this broas, and this is the photo of
that day. The day after we went buy knitting needles and wools and she taught
me how knit a scarf!
I also
remember, some occasion when we could not visit her, she would dispatch a big
cardboard box lined with an immaculate white sheet, and full of traditional
festive sweets, like filhoses de enrolar, azevias, nogados e broas. It was such
a joy to go and collect if from the bus station, or wait for my father that
would bring it back in a taxi. It was her gift to us, and a way of making
herself present. Another box like this,
would be dispatched in the opposite direction, towards south, to my other
cousins, that have same memories that we can discuss when we are together.
Don’t be surprised
by the use of pork lard in cooking this sweets. It is very common in this part
of Portugal.
Ingredients:
• 200g of Sugar
• 200g pork lard
• 1 tea spoon of yeast
• 3 eggs + 1
• 500g white flour
•Lemon
zest
Preparation:
Mix
everything apart from the extra yolk, with the grated lemon peel and flour
until tender;
Make same
small balls, the size of a 50p coin, and gentle press the top and make a little
hole in the canter.
With the
extra egg yolk beaten, tip your finger in the yolk and then on the hole in the
center of the biscuit.
Put in the
oven 180º to bake until golden in greased trays with butter.
They keep for a few days.