Torres Novas Bean Tart
Also known as: Torres Novas Bean Tart · Ribeira Ruiva Bean Tart
A Torres Novas tart of white beans, yolk and almond, selected as a district finalist in 2019.
- Origin
- Ribeira Ruiva · Torres Novas · Ribatejo
- Place
- Ribeira Ruiva · Torres Novas
- Region
- The Centre
- Category
- Cakes & Sweet Breads
- Season
- Year-round · available to order
- Evidence
- Well documented
Pastel de Feijão de Torres Novas is an individual tartlet with an open, golden caramelised filling inside a shell that appears visibly layered in current commercial photographs. The local producer and retailer identify four essential filling ingredients: white beans, egg yolks, sugar and almond.
This identity must not be absorbed into the Torres Vedras Pastel de Feijão PGI. The Oeste sweet has its own protected specification, documented production history and thin ‘forra’ shell; the Torres Novas pastry is associated with Helena Inácio of Casa dos Bolos in Ribeira Ruiva and was entered independently by Torres Novas. The sources reviewed do not publish proportions, the composition of the outer pastry or the complete method, so this entry does not turn an ingredient list into an invented recipe.
- white beans
- egg yolks
- sugar
- almond
- outer pastry of unpublished composition
A dense, sweet and moist filling led by yolk and almond, with contrast from the caramelised surface and outer pastry. No formal sensory profile has been published.
Parque dos Sabores distinguishes Helena Inácio's finalist pastry from a version with Torres Novas black fig made by Carla Aguiar. The fig variant is a separate creation and is not part of the composition documented here.
In Ribeira Ruiva and Torres Novas, by ordering from Helena Inácio's Casa dos Bolos or through local-product retailers; confirm availability before travelling.
Espresso or black tea; no specific traditional pairing was found.
Torres Novas Municipal Council included Pastel de Feijão among seven local sweets entered in the 2019 Seven Wonders of Portuguese Sweets. That year's municipal report and council bulletin confirm that it and Bolo de Cabeça advanced to the district final. The national list of 7 May fixed the name ‘Pastel de Feijão de Torres Novas’ among the 140 sweets put to a public vote.
Helena Inácio, the confectioner at Casa dos Bolos in Ribeira Ruiva, prepared the entry. The municipality's 2022 producer catalogue continues to present the business, the sweet and the distinction, demonstrating continuity after the competition. These sources document the producer, locality, central ingredients and commercial presence; they do not provide an old manuscript, creation date or evidence of convent origin. Its age and initial authorship therefore remain unknown.
Well documented
Identity supported by institutional, specialist or corroborating sources.
- cm-torresnovas.pt/images/documents/Visitar/Produtores_2022.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- cm-torresnovas.pt/images/documents/Financeira/PC/2019/PC2019_relatorio_gestao_final.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- cm-torresnovas.pt/images/documents/BoletinsEPublicacoes/2019/BM-T3_final.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- caruspinus.pt/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/LISTA_7MDOCESP_140_NOMEADOS_2ELIMINATORIA.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- mediotejo.net/torres-novas-na-ribeira-ruiva-ha-dois-doces-a-quererem-estatuto-de-maravilha/ (opens in a new tab)
- parquedossaboresgourmet.pt/product/paste-de-feijao-de-torres-novas (opens in a new tab)
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