Okay folks, buckle up because I actually tried cooking some legit Portuguese starters yesterday after binging travel vids. Super hungry after watching those pasteis de nata clips, you know how it is.
The Mission Begins
First dumped “traditional Portuguese appetizers” into YouTube around noon. Way too many cheese-heavy options that’d clog my arteries, so picked three realistic ones:
- Pasteis de Bacalhau (salt cod fritters – sounded sketchy but iconic)
- Grilled Chouriço (figured even I couldn’t mess up sausage)
- Pao com Chouriço (sausage bread – carb cheat day approved)
Cod Fritter Disaster Zone
Hit the grocery store chasing salt cod. That stuff stinks like low tide! Recipe said boil it twice but after 30 minutes simmering, my kitchen smelled like a fisherman’s dock. Chopped taters and onions while tearing the fish apart – flaky mess everywhere. Mixing it all felt like making cement with my bare hands. Nearly cried when first fritters exploded in the oil. Pro tip: fridge the mix for two hours helps them hold shape. Third batch came out decent though.
Sausage Overload
Grabbed some chouriço links looking spicy. Dropped em on my cast iron skillet until they got that blackened blistering skin. Fire alarm went off twice from smoke – worth it though. For the bread, sliced dough like the YouTube grandma showed me, stuffed sausage bits inside, egg washed the tops. Burnt two rolls because I got distracted watching the fritters.
Final Spread:
- Pasteis de Bacalhau = crispy outside but still a bit soggy inside (salty AF though)
- Grilled Chouriço = juicy with that paprika kick that makes your tongue buzz
- Pao com Chouriço = best hot out the oven when cheese oozes everywhere
Honestly wouldn’t attempt the fritters again without backup. Sausages though? Dead easy and delicious. Still finding cod flakes on my counter this morning.
