Azevias are fried Portuguese turnovers associated with Évora, in the Alentejo, where early recipes appear in the notebooks of the Poor Clare nuns of the Convent of Santa Clara. The name refers to the sole, a flatfish, because the pastries are rolled thinner than similar turnovers. Common fillings include chickpeas, sweet potato, chilacayote jam (gila) and white beans, often enriched with egg yolks and ground almonds.
Azevias de batata-doce e amêndoa, filled with a spiced sweet potato and almond paste, are a Christmas sweet in the Alentejo and the Algarve. The dough is similar to a hot-water pastry made with lard and warm water (sometimes orange juice replaces part of the water), and it fries up thin and blistered. After frying, the pastries are coated in cinnamon sugar.
This version uses the sweet potato filling. For the chickpea version, see the Azevias de Grão, Alentejo Christmas Chickpea Pastries (recipe on the site), and for other fried Christmas sweets, the Coscorões (recipe on the site) and Filhós, Portuguese Christmas Fritters (recipe on the site).
Azevias de Batata-Doce Recipe
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup lard or vegetable shortening, melted
- ½ cup warm water
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice, warmed
- For the filling:
- 1 pound sweet potatoes (white or orange), peeled and cut into chunks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup finely ground blanched almonds (about 3 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 large egg yolks
- For frying and coating:
- Neutral oil for deep frying (about 1 quart)
- ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the filling: boil the sweet potato chunks in water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and mash until completely smooth.
- Return the mash to the pot with the ¾ cup sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick enough that a spoon leaves a clear trail on the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the ground almonds, cinnamon and lemon zest. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, stir in a few spoonfuls of the hot filling to warm them gradually, then scrape the yolks back into the pot. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
- Make the dough: whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted lard, warm water and warm orange juice, then knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add water by the teaspoon if the dough is crumbly. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough very thin, about 1/16 inch. Cut 4-inch rounds with a cutter or a bowl rim and re-roll the scraps once.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of filling on one half of each round. Moisten the edge with water, fold over into a half-moon and press the edges firmly; crimp with a fork to seal.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep pot to 350°F. Fry the azevias in batches of 3 or 4 for 1½ to 2 minutes per side, until golden and blistered. Drain on a rack set over paper towels.
- While still warm, roll the azevias in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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