A Christmas Dessert - Aletria (Rich pasta pudding)

Christmas is in a matter of days, YAY! Every family holds some sort of tradition as to what they place on their dinner tables over the festive season. Being of Portuguese descent, our waistlines seem to expand over this time of year (mine does anyway) as a result of all the delicious foods that are laid before me at our table, everything from Bacalhau (cod fish) which is our traditional Christmas evening meal, to all sorts of sweet desserts that one looks forward to all year around. Today I’m going to share with you a recipe for a dessert that makes an appearance in our home every year, it’s easy and tastes so good! Here it goes.

Ingredients

100g Vermicelli (A very thin pasta, can be bought at your local supermarket)

500ml Milk (any)

125g Castor Sugar

Strip of lemon rind

1 Stick of cinnamon

45ml Butter

4 Egg Yolks

Ground Cinnamon

Method

1. Boil the Vermicelli in 750ml water for 5 minutes and then drain.
2. Add the milk, sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon stick to the Vermicelli. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft.
3. Add the butter and beaten egg yolks. Simmer just long enough to cook the egg yolks.
4. Pour into a large serving dish, dust with cinnamon and serve.

This pudding is best eaten on the day that it is made, cold.

It is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dinner, my family and I really enjoy it! We hope that you do too

S

Xoxo

*As seen in, Mimi Jardim’s, Cooking the Portuguese way in South Africa, Page 137