Lérias de Amarante

Description: Sweet based on flour, sugar, almond and water. They have the shape of a small square of dark color and about 0,5 cm in height. They weigh around 50 g.

Region: North.

Particularity: Jam made with dark sugar, which can last for several days without changing its characteristics.

History: Lérias are a traditional sweet from Amarante, whose recipe was recovered at the beginning of this century, from recipes of the nuns of the Convent of Santa Clara (Amarante), by Alcino dos Reis, also known as Alcino das Lérias.

Use: It is customary to serve the Lérias as dessert, on feast days and at the most important meals. They are usually accompanied by other traditional egg sweets (rockets, papos de anjo, brisas do Tâmega), thus constituting a set of assorted sweets.

Know-how: Warm the water and work the ground almonds, dark sugar and flour until a homogeneous dough is obtained. Shape a roll with a little flour, cut slices and flatten. Bake in the oven. Finally, pass them through fine sugar syrup and dry them in nets.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001