Queijadas de requeijão (Requeijão tartlets)

Requeijão has no English translation! It is a type of fresh cheese similar to ricotta and it can't be found in the UK so I used ricotta instead.

There are several types of these tartlets throughout Portugal. This one is a recipe from the south, Alentejo. I adapted the recipe from Margarida Pinto's Alentejo cuisine. 

The end result was spot on!

Serves: 12 units.

Ingredients:

• For the dough:
• 125g flour
• 1 egg
• 30g butter
• For the filling:
• 300g requeijão or ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 200g sugar
• 30g butter
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Work all the dough ingredients together until you get a workable dough. Add water if necessary. Reserve. I did not have to add any water.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Whisk all the filling ingredients.
   
   
   
3. Butter and flour a muffin tin. I used one with 7x3cm holes.
   
   
   
4. Roll out the dough. It didn't mention how thin the dough should be rolled to so I stopped rolling when I had enough to cut 12 round shapes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Cut the dough in rounds. I used a 9cm round cutter.
   
   
   
6. Line the tin with the round cuts. I had to stretch them to fit in the tin and it wasn't easy.
   
   
   
7. Divide the filling between the dough cases.
   
   
   
8. Bake in a 180°C oven for 30 min.
   
   
   
9. Let them cool for 5 min in the tin before placing in a wire rack.