Chickpea Azevias
This home version follows the Alentejo identity recorded by DGADR: very thin tender pastry, sweet chickpea filling, half-moon shape, frying, and a sugar-and-cinnamon coating. Quantities follow Continente's published formula and are corroborated, with small differences, by other Portuguese recipes; they are not presented as one definitive convent recipe.
- Yields
- 12 pastries
- Prep
- 1 hr 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
Ingredients
- 300 g Plain flour
- 45 g Melted butter
- 80 ml Warm water
- 30 ml Aguardente (Portuguese brandy)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 250 g Cooked chickpeas, well drained
- 175 g Sugar for the filling
- 50 ml Water for the syrup
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon for the filling
- zest of 1/2 Lemon
- as needed Oil for deep-frying
- as needed Sugar and cinnamon for coating
Method
Mix the flour, butter, warm water, aguardente and salt into a smooth dough. Knead briefly, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Process the drained chickpeas to a purée with no large pieces or skins.
Bring the 175 g sugar and 50 ml water to the boil. Add the chickpea purée, cinnamon and lemon zest and stir over low heat.
Temper the yolk with a spoonful of hot filling, return it to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until a spoon drawn across the base leaves a clear trail. Cool completely.
Roll the dough very thinly on a floured surface. Cut circles about 10 cm across, place a teaspoon of filling in the centre and lightly moisten the edges.
Fold into a half-moon, press out air around the filling and seal firmly. Trim the edge with a pastry wheel or the rim of a glass.
Deep-fry a few azevias at a time in hot oil, turning until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
Coat while still warm in mixed sugar and cinnamon, then cool before serving.
Sources for this recipe
The quantities and method were checked against the references below. Family recipes may vary; where no single official formula exists, we present a representative practical version and say so plainly.
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