He Portuguese breakfast , As well as its gastronomy in general, has a variety of dishes that have received their influence from diverse cultural compendia.
Its famous seafood-based cuisine stands out thanks to its particular geographic location with total departure to the Atlantic Ocean, which culturally places them within the universal history as one of the most important and pioneering nations of the sea exploration.
Various sweet cakes and espresso / Image via globetrottergirls.com
Nevertheless, the undeniable Mediterranean influence in the Portuguese culture deliciously invades its table. Other notable influences, this time in anticipation of their former colonial territories, is the use of spices and condiments to give their food a good flavor.
The actuality of the Portuguese breakfast
For many, in the hustle and bustle of city life, the fastest and most familiar alternative to morning food is not the most traditional, but it has become a global trend thanks to the influence of the Mediterranean or continental breakfast.
In this sense, Portuguese breakfast equals sweet cakes. The streets are full of patisseries that offer endless baked goods made from flour, mixed or stuffed with various sweet and creamy pastries. Different types of cakes, pastries, croissants, biscuits and donuts adorn the counters waiting for the diners.
Among these is the cream cake that has the title of being the national cake. It is a small round-shaped puff pastry, stuffed with vanilla flavored whipped cream and bathed in a powdery mixture of sugar and cinnamon.
Some pastries modify the filling by adding applesauce or almond instead of the usual cream, and use icing sugar on top.
Cream cake / Image via wallstcheatsheet.com
A couple of toasted bread slices of different sizes and shapes are also common choice for breakfast. As frequent companions are butter, jam, ham and necessarily cheese.
But none of this would make the breakfast more national without a good cup of Portuguese coffee as a hot drink; Which the famous espresso with cream is the usual one.
Eggs based dishes also serve as an alternative attachment for bread or cakes. Omelette is one of the most common, mixed with chorizo or bacon as a predominant flavor, and cuts vegetables like onions or asparagus to give more taste to the dish. Necessarily to be authentic Portuguese, only olive oil is used to soften the ingredients.
Asparagus Omelet / Image via easyportugueserecipes.com
Fruit and yogurt cuts do not escape from the table in the morning, giving it a variety of flavor, color and nutritional value to Portuguese breakfast.
The fruit is also used to make juice for fresh drink with morning meal. Also the cereal in milk has its place, especially for the smaller ones of the house.
As previously stated, this type of breakfast is quite similar to continental breakfast, but what makes it particularly Portuguese is the indispensable presence of coffee and sweet cakes. This trend has earned the heart and the palate of the inhabitants, currently giving it the label"traditional Portuguese breakfast".
Between professionals of the kitchen and students of the culture, is attributed to the bustle of daily life constantly in evolution
Breakfasts typical of the culture of Portugal
Portugal is a country with a maritime culture of centuries of history, so it is no surprise that some seafood products dominate the breakfast tables. Among these traditional dishes are the cod fritters, a dish that despite having variations in its preparation maintains certain standards.
Its presentation in small balls or rolls makes it an excellent quick snack for the mornings. Its ingredients consist of uncooked and desalted raw cod, potatoes, egg, parsley to taste, salt and white pepper to flavor, and the important olive oil to fry the mixture and make wonderful fritters.
Cod fritters / recetizate.com
Their preparation is essentially cooking potato without removing the skin. This is removed once they are cooked to make a kind of puree that is then mixed with the cod. Simultaneously beat the eggs and add the parsley to join with the potato and cod mixture. The mixture should be thoroughly stirred until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Condiments do not lose importance in this dish. It is usually seasoned with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, fry the dough into small spheres. It is important that the oil cover the fritters to ensure complete and uniform cooking. Once fried, let cool for a few minutes.
The traditional spherical presentation of large restaurants and cafes is achieved by using two teaspoons; Passing and rotating the portion of dough from one to another and thus molding the expected shape. Freshly made will be a delight to the palate that does not require much elaboration time.
Another famous dish recommended for breakfast is the Portuguese frittata, which is a kind of omelette but baked. The oven must be on from the beginning of the preparation.
It begins by preparing a mixture of small cuts of chicken with pieces of various vegetables, especially tomato. This is sautéed with olive oil for a few minutes in an ovenproof pan.
Beat the eggs with the recommended condiments: oregano, black pepper and salt; And then poured over the stir fry of chicken and vegetables. Roasted mozzarella cheese is sprayed on the surface of the mixture and the pan is inserted into the oven for about 10 minutes.
Portuguese fitata / Image via myrecipes.com
As a final detail, to give it that brown appearance, gratin the frittata for about a minute or until golden brown.
Just cut it into pieces and is ready to serve on the table. This type of plate for being heavy is recommended as a late breakfast or as the so-called"misalignment".
Some additions and modifications to the dish depend on taste, locality or ingredients on hand. It is normal to find firttatas prepared with chorizo or other type of sausage typical of Portugal, mushrooms, spinach or simply vegetables.
References
- Catarina Lourenço. Portugal: What is a typical Portuguese breakfast? (2014) quora.com.
- Rafael Tavares. Portuguese breakfast. Easy and delicious! (2016). Learn Portuguese with Rafa. Learn-portuguese-with-rafa.com.
- Asparagus and chorico omelette (chorizo omelette with asparagus) (2013). Easyportugueserecipes. Easyportugueserecipes.com.
- Lisbon, Sweet Lisbon: Our Favorite Breakfasts In Portugal. (2011). Globetrotter girls. Globetrottergirls.com.
- Cod fritters to the Portuguese (Hotel Paris, Porto) 2009. cocinoencasa.blogspot.com.
- Portuguese Breakfast Recipes. Yummly. Http://www.yummly.co/recipes/portuguese-breakfast.
- Debora Alfonso. Discover Portugal. The food of Portugal has root, background and history, and a new tendency, traditional gourmet. Discover Portugal. Godiscoverportugal.com
- Portuguese Breakfast - Sohnos, chorizo & steak. Cooking With Dad with Manny Lopes (TV program). (2014). Taste This Productions.