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*Barriga de freira*
	Barriga de freira from Tentúgal
Alternative names	Lérias
Type	Conventual sweet; Pudding
Course	Sobremesa
Place of origin	Portugal
Region or state	Tentúgal, Central Region
Main ingredients	Wheat flour, eggs, milk, sugar, almond, cinnamon
Similar dishes	Sopa dourada

Barriga de freira (lit. 'nun's belly') is a traditional Portuguese sweet egg yolk-based pudding.^[1] The name is an idiom on the ingredients typically found in conventual sweets made by the religious sisters at convents historically―egg yolks, sugar, and almonds. Another variation of barriga de freira is served as a turnover or empanada using the same pudding for a filling.^[2]^[3]

Barriga de Freira was created as early as the 15th or 16th century in the monasteries and convents in Lisbon.^[4] The dish was first created by the nuns in the province of Beira Litoral in the 17th century.^[5]^[6]

Preparation

A syrup is typically made by boiling water and sugar. It can be flavored with lemon peel or cinnamon. The syrup is poured over pieces or crumbs of bread (or pão de ló or ground almonds). Egg yolks are incorporated into the bread mixture. The pudding is cooked until the pudding is slightly thickened then garnished with multiple toppings such as butter, cinnamon, slivered or chopped almonds, silver pearls, caramel or fios de ovos, or used as a filling for a pastel.

Variations

Instead of pastry, it is sometimes encased in wafer known as lérias.^[7]

In Coimbra, from the Mosteiro de Sta. Maria de Celas, the pudding is made with arrufada, a type of sweet bread from the region.^[8]^[9]

In the North Region from the Convento de Santa Mafalda contains almonds.^[2]

In Borba, it does not contain almonds and is typically topped with caramel.^[10]

In Monção, a variation of sopa dourada (lit. 'golden soup'),^[a] is known as doce de Chavo or barriga de Freira do Vaticano.^[13] Instead of bread, pão de ló is used and is garnished with candied cherries.^[14] A version from Monte do Camparrão, Portalegre is made with papo seco (or carcaças) and contains a generous amount of butter and whole eggs.^[15]

The Ursuline nuns of Vale da Mó in Anadia has a version reminiscent of encharcada that does not contain bread or almonds.^[16]

Egg mixture is poured over pieces of pão doce for the pudding variation
Filling being added for a pastry version
Turning over a dish for Barriga de freira de Anadia

References

^ Soup dourada is a similar dish made with similar ingredients using pão de ló.^[11]^[12]

^ Fernandes, Daniel. "Barriga de Freira". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b Fernandes, Daniel. "Barriga de Freira de Arouca". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Carranza, Miguel A., ed. (1996). "Ethnic Studies Review". The Journal of the National Association for Ethnic Studies. 31 (2). The Association: 152.
^ Tavares, Inês. "Barriga de Freira: A Treasure of Lisbon's Monasteries". www.lisbon.vip. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Rinsky, Glenn; Rinsky, Laura Halpin (28 February 2008). The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. John Wiley & Sons. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-470-00955-0.
^ Silva, Reinaldo (1 January 2008). "The Tastes from Portugal: Food as Remembrance in Portuguese American Literature" (PDF). Ethnic Studies Review. 31 (2): 126–152. doi:10.1525/esr.2008.31.2.126. ISSN 1555-1881. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Pereira, Berenice (23 October 2018). "Barrigas de Freira". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Saramago, Alfredo (1997). Doçaria dos conventos de Portugal (in Brazilian Portuguese). Assírio & Alvim. p. 95. ISBN 978-972-37-0450-1.
^ Pereira, Berenice (14 March 2021). "Barriga de Freira (Coimbra)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Pereira, Berenice (8 September 2021). "Barriga de Freira (Borba)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ "GOLDEN SOUP". Ptpt - Produtos Tradicionais Portuguese. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ "Receita de Sopa Dourada". NESTLÉ (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ "Doce de Chavo ou Barriga-de-Freira do Vaticano". all about Portugal. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Pereira, Berenice (22 October 2020). "Barriga de Freira do Vaticano (Monção)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Pereira, Berenice (21 October 2020). "Barriga de Freira do Camparrão (Portalegre)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
^ Pereira, Berenice (5 November 2019). "Barriga de Freira (Anadia)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 November 2023.