A delicious and portable savory pie
My heart flutters every time I encounter an empadinha! Who could resist a pastry that melts in your mouth before letting its appetizing contents touch every inch of your taste buds? And while hearts of palm can be an exotic flavor to American palates, it tastes like home and childhood to me and to every Brazilian out there! After all, I could bet money that all my fellow countrymen have stuffed their faces with empadinhas more times then they would care to admit. Creamy and slightly nutty, hearts of palm make the perfect filling for these little pastries. Some people describe them as tasting like artichokes. Make these little empadas as soon as possible! Gee, go ahead and make a double batch and freeze the extra. That way you could always have these delicious hand pies on hand for when the craving strikes. Because, believe me, once you taste these, you will crave them over and over again!
The origins of the empadinha
This tasty Brazilian snack has its origins in the Portuguese pastelões, large savory pies, with several different fillings, and a strong medieval influence. In the 19th century, small pastelões – then known as “empadas de caixa” – were served to Catholics on the days that they had to abstain from meat (beef and pork). They were usually made with chicken. It was only in Brazil that they finally got the now popular hearts of palm version. Nowadays you can find several types of these hand pies in every bakery and coffee shop. They are also commonly served as appetizers or finger food at parties!
Ingredients for Butter Pie Crust
To make this crumbly crust, you will need:
All-purpose flour Butter Egg Egg yolk Salt
Ingredients for Hearts of Palm Filling
Here’s what you’ll need to make the creamy filling:
Hearts of Palm Cream Cheese Tomatoes Onion Garlic Olives Olive Oil Butter Flour Milk Parsley Salt and pepper
Where do I find hearts of palm?
Hearts of palm – the inner core of palm trees – can be found in the canned goods section of your supermarket. Chances are you won’t find a huge selection, but I would be surprised if you couldn’t find at least a couple options. If, for some reason, you are out of luck, you can order it online!
How to Make Hearts of Palm Hand Pies
The secret of a good empadinha is a crust that is light and delicate but sturdy enough to support a good amount of filling. You want every bite to be an explosion of flavors in your mouth! And while no special equipment is needed, I highly recommend getting egg tart molds to make them. They are inexpensive and you can also use them to make other pastries, like Portuguese Pastel de Nata! That being said, you can also make these hand pies in muffin tins – regular or mini size. If you’re in Brazil, you can find empadinha molds, ranging in size, which are usually a little deeper than the egg tart molds that I use here in the US. But without any further ado, here’s how to make these savory pastries:
Massa Podre (Crumbly Crust):
Creamy Hearts of Palm Filling (Recheio de Palmito):
How to serve Hearts of Palm Hand Pies
Empadinhas are usually served as-is, as a snack or party finger food. Pastel, coxinhas, pão de queijo, kibbeh and croquettes will complete the feast! That doesn’t mean you can’t eat them for lunch or even dinner. Just add a side salad and it can be a filling meal! Oh, and don’t forget the hot sauce, cause some people like it hot!
Alternate fillings
While hearts of palm is the common filling for empadinhas, these are also delicious options:
Chicken Shrimp Cod Fish Carne Seca – Brazilian jerk beef Sausage Creamed Corn Cheese Dulce de Leche – yes, sweet versions do exist!
How long will these keep in the fridge?
Hearts of palm hand pies can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Can I freeze these hand pies?
Yes, they freeze well! Just let them cool completely after baking and then freeze in an airtight container. To thaw, you can either let them defrost overnight in the fridge and then bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or bake frozen, for 30-35 minutes, or until hot.
More Brazilian snacks:
Easy Pão de Queijo Bolinhos de Chuva (Raindrop Beignets) Ham and Cheese Rolls Parmesan Muffins Pastel (Brazilian Empanadas) Chicken Croquettes (Coxinha) Fried Kibbeh Oxtail Croquettes
This recipe was developed using egg tart molds. If using traditional Brazilian empadinha molds or a muffin tin, the sizes will be different and the number of hand pies will vary. Alternate fillings: shredded chicken, shrimp, tuna, creamed corn, ground beef, and many others.Savory hand pies keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.Freezing instructions: Let the hand pies cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight or bake straight from frozen.To reheat empadinhas, put them in a 350 degrees F oven for 20-25 minutes or 30+ minutes if frozen.
Hearts of Palm Egg Tart Molds
