Lampreia de Portalegre

Description: Cake made with sugar and almonds (for the marzipan) and eggs (for the egg threads and the egg jam). The cake, in the shape of a fish, is presented on a round plate, decorated with egg threads to fill the gaps. In the eye area, balls of candied fruit are placed and in the mouth a strip of the same fruit, usually green in color.

Region: Alentejo.

Other denominations: Almond Lamprey. Lamprey à Antiga. Lamprey of Marzipan.

Special feature: Very sweet cake, shaped like a fish (in reality, the lamprey is a cyclostome), rolled in a spiral, covered with marzipan and filled with egg jam.

History: In a publication from more than 50 years ago, where the sweets and cakes of the Alto Alentejo region are described in some detail, when talking about Portalegre reference is made to a "lamprey" produced in this city, although it is not specified how it was presented. He also mentions that it originated in the two convents (Santa Clara and São Bernardo) without indicating which would have been the first to make such a «treat». In another more recent publication, he refers to the recipe called «Lamprey de amêndoa à antiga», in the style of Portalegre, which is very similar to what is made today. It is unknown what led the nuns to make this cake with such an unusual shape and imitating an animal that does not exist in the region of Portalegre.

Use: As a dessert. Performed at the wedding parties, baptisms, etc., of this region. It is a traditional Christmas sweet.

Know-how: The almond is blanched, peeled, dried and ground to make marzipan To do this, take the sugar to a point, add the almonds and let it cool down so that it becomes a paste. Egg threads and egg jam are made with egg yolks and some egg whites and a sugar syrup. On a round plate and on a finely cut paper napkin, place a bunch of threads and egg jam in the shape of a fish rolled in a spiral (the lamprey is a long and narrow animal) that is covered with a layer of marzipan. In the area intended to represent the head, small pieces of candied fruit are placed to simulate the eyes and mouth. The entire surface of the dish around the lamprey is covered with egg threads.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001