Empadão (Brazilian Savory Pie)
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Empadão: a large Brazilian savory pie with buttery crust and creamy filling, a classic for parties and family meals.
Empadão is a large Brazilian savory pie baked in a dish, with a buttery crust that fully encloses a creamy filling. It is the casserole-dish version of the empada: the same melt-in-your-mouth crust, sized to serve the whole family.
Characteristics
The classic crust uses wheat flour, butter or lard, and eggs, with no yeast, resulting in a crumbly, golden texture. The most traditional filling is shredded chicken in a creamy sauce with corn and olives, but shrimp, hearts of palm, and ground beef are common. The lid can be decorated with braided strips of dough and is brushed with egg yolk to brown. Empadão is served warm, in firm slices that hold the filling.
Uses in the kitchen
Empadão is a guaranteed presence at party snacks, picnics, and Sunday lunches, since it can be prepared ahead and carried easily. It goes with a green salad and white rice in complete meals. Cold slices also work well in lunchboxes and snacks through the week.
Variations
- Chicken empadão: the classic, with creamy shredded chicken, corn, and olives.
- Shrimp empadão: a refined filling of shrimp in sauce with cream cheese spread.
- Hearts-of-palm empadão: a traditional vegetarian version with pupunha palm.
- Vegan empadão: crust made with vegetable fat and a filling of vegetables or plant protein.
Fun facts
Empadão descends from Portuguese empadas and established itself in Brazil as a party and bakery snack. The most repeated secret among cooks is to use cold butter and not knead the dough, so it stays crumbly instead of stretchy like bread dough.
Recipes with empadão
[ve_cards ids="1936,1699,2522"]- Origem do termo
- Brazil, of Portuguese influence
- Sinônimos
- empadão pie