Portugal’s history lies in its pastry

Determining who makes the best egg custard treats is a delicious endeavour

Many of Portugal’s pastries can be traced back to the country’s once-vast network of convents and monasteries.

The religious centres used egg whites to starch their laundry and had to come up with a use for the excess yolks, legend says.

Different regions came up with variations of pasteis de nata (egg custard pastries). To this day, the Lisbon area is known for its version of the tarts and one place to savour them in the city is Pasteis de Belem.

This shop has been making and selling heavenly tarts since 1837 and the recipe remains unchanged.

There is controversy in the fact that there is a trademark on the name Pasteis de Belem and the monks’ original recipe being just as protected. An Oficina do Segredo (or Office of the Secret) is devoted to guarding the recipe, ensuring it’s known by no more than five people in the world.

“Personally, I like pasteis de nata at Manteigaria better,” says Patricia Canejo, founder of gastronomy tourism company Singulartrips.

We sampled tarts at both locations. At Pasteis de Belem, the line snakes out the door and around the corner, but it’s for take-away only.

If you venture inside, you can find a seat in one of the bakery’s many dining rooms.

The rich egg custard in flaky crust melts in your mouth and is just light enough that you want to stuff two or three more down in one sitting. How could anything be better?

Enter Manteigaria in the heart of Lisbon.

This tiny patisserie, whose name literally translates to “butter factory,” lets you peek at the masters at work through a glass pane.

Customers can watch the pastry chefs iron out and layer metres of pearly dough with golden butter. When fresh tarts come out of the oven, a woman in a milkmaid uniform steps outside and rings a bell to signal their availability. One bite in and instant clarity. I like these better. The custard is richer, the pastry lighter, flakier and delicately layered.

Maybe it’s because the tarts are hot, right out of the oven, or maybe it’s watching the chefs make them, increasing the anticipation for my treat. Mallika Viegas was hosted by Eurail, which did not review or approve this story.