Queijada
Ingredients
- Dough: flour, warm water, melted butter, pinch of salt
- Filling: 250 g fresh cheese (queijo fresco or well-drained ricotta), 150 g sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 30 g flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, zest of 1 lemon
Queijadas de Sintra date back to the reign of King Sancho II in the 13th century, when they were prized enough to be used to pay rent and taxes. A thin, crisp pastry shell holds a filling of fresh cheese (queijo fresco, similar to ricotta) mixed with eggs, sugar and cinnamon, baked until the top is golden with dark spots and the center still has a slight jiggle.
Method
Mix the flour with warm water, melted butter and salt into a smooth dough; cover and rest, ideally overnight.
Mash the fresh cheese well and beat with sugar, egg yolks, whole egg, flour, cinnamon and lemon zest until smooth.
Roll the rested dough thin and line small tart molds.
Fill each shell with the cheese mixture.
Bake at around 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes, until golden with some dark spots on top and just set with a slight jiggle in the center.
Cool before unmolding — the filling firms up further as it cools.
