Pastel de nata, which translates to cream pastry, is a custard tart and is one of the most popular sweets in Portugal. Its creamy filling is complemented by a crumbly crust.
It is believed that the pastel de nata was first created 300 years ago in Jerónimos monastery in Lisbon, where monks used egg whites as starch for their clothes. They had a lot of egg yolks to spare, which were used to make desserts, thus forming the base for the perfect custard tarts. Even today, the recipe is closely guarded by the proprietors of the tart, the bakery Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém, which first opened in 1837 in Lisbon.
The beloved dessert was featured on CNN’s ‘the world’s 50 best foods’ in 2021. Chef Ralph Prazeres, of the popular bakery situated in Miramar Goa, Padaria Prazeres popularised this sweet when they opened shop in 2021. Their menu features an impressive selection of not just the pastel de nata but also other sweet and savoury foods such as the berliner – a German doughnut that can be filled with different fillings, and ciabatta.
Prazeres had the idea of bringing the pastel de nata to India after he tasted it on the streets of Lisbon and immediately fell in love.
“Every year, from the time I was very small, whenever we went to Lisbon, the one thing that I would always eat was the pastel de nata. My dream from that day was to bring it back home. In fact, the entire concept of Padaria Prazeres revolves around the pastel, which is the main focus.”
This weekend, from 10-12 March, the bakery will be doing a pop-up in Mumbai in association with coworking space KMC* in the Fort area.
“The KM stands for Kitab Mahal, while the C remains dynamic. We’ve left that for people to explore. So that could be coffee, cocktails, but this time we’ve picked confectionery. So, for three days, we’ll be turning KMC* into a confectionery. The idea of bringing Goa’s most iconic bakery to Bombay was exciting for us,” says Avanish Agarwal, Sales and Marketing Head of KMC*.
The menu for the pop-up features signature items from Padaria Prazeres. There’s the Goan chourico berliner, a savoury doughnut filled with Goan chorizo sausage; Goan chourico croque monsieur, achieved by taking the French sandwich and putting a local spin with the Goan chorizo. Vegetarian options like the garlic cream cheese focaccia or veg croque monsieur are also available, among other items. If you’re looking for something sweet, there is a selection of berliners, palmiers, and of course, the delicious pastel de nata.
The KMC* x Padaria Prazeres pop-up will be available from 10 March to 12 March. The menu is available for dine-in and takeaway. Prices start at ₹90.
