Covilhetes de Vila Real

Description: Round shaped pastries, with beef filling. The outer dough is made from flour, butter, calf kidney fat, olive oil and salt to taste. The filling is made of beef, ham, onion, parsley, olive oil, white wine and salt.

Region: North.

Other denominations: Empadinhas de Carne.

Particularity: Pastries filled with meat, traditionally baked in black clay molds (barro preto de Bisalhães, traditional pottery of the region).

History: On the occasion of the festivities of S. António, a saint of devotion in Vila Real, it was common to have food stalls, including one of covilhetes, as mentioned in an article published in Ilustração Transmontana (1910).

Use: They are very popular throughout the day, or even as a main meal.

Know-how: The dough, based on flour, butter, veal or beef kidney fat, olive oil and salt will line the molds and is filled with minced beef, onion, ham, parsley, olive oil, white wine and salt. Finally, it is covered with a slice of very thin dough. Bake in a very hot oven.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001