Neven explores Centro cuisine

This week Neven’s Portuguese Food Trails lead him to the Centro Region of Portugal, starting in the city of Coimbra the country’s former capital. It’s customary for Portuguese cities and towns to have their own unique pastries, and in Coimbra the speciality is Crúzios - pastries with a delicious egg-based filling, flavoured with lemon and cinnamon and topped with almonds. Neven calls in at Coimbra’s Café Santa Cruz, a 100 year old cafe where the baker shows him how Crúzios are made by hand.

The Quinta das Lágrimas is an 18th century palace and now a luxury hotel, and also the setting for Portugal’s most famous, real life love story. Neven explores the lush gardens and learns how the 14th century Prince Pedro had a passionate but forbidden love affair with Inês, a lady in waiting. The story is Portugal’s equivalent to the famous Romeo and Juliet love story and often features in Portuguese literature, operas, ballets and films. The hotel’s pastry chef prepares his ‘Heart’ dessert for Neven, which is a heart shaped White Chocolate Cake with a Rhubarb and Pistachio centre, served with Basil Ice Cream and Goji Berry Crumble.

Bordallo Pinheiro is perhaps Portugal’s most famous and distinctive ceramics manufacturer. Founded in 1884 by Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro, the company is renowned for its colourful, highly decorated tableware and ornaments almost always inspired by nature such as their cabbage leaf, and also sardine collections. Neven takes a tour of the factory where each item is made by hand, and learns how the often intricate pieces are crafted.

Pork is incredibly popular on menus throughout Portugal, and the Pedro dos Leitões restaurant is acclaimed for its Suckling Pig dishes. At its busiest, the restaurant cooks 120 suckling pigs per day in an oven fired by eucalyptus wood and vines. Neven calls in to see how it’s done, and enjoys a tasting.

The University of Coimbra was established in 1290, making it one of the world’s oldest universities. Over 21,000 students study at the university, and some of them join music groups known as Tunas. Tunas are found at universities across Portugal and Spain. They play acoustic instruments, sing serenades and folk songs, and wear traditional university gowns. Neven is given a special performance by the Estudantina Universitária de Coimbra Tuna group.

Neven’s own recipe this week is Sardines with Parmesan Crumb and Aubergine Chutney.

All of Neven’s recipes in this new series were filmed on the spectacular island of Madeira at the Quinta Das Vinhas estate and vineyard, which has been owned by the same family since 1685.