Empadinha with Palmito (Heart of Palm)

Measure out 305 g wheat flour and 100 g cold butter. For the dough, take 275 g flour, 65 g butter, 1 tsp salt and 1 egg; quickly rub the mixture together with your fingers and knead into a soft dough without overworking it. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

For the creamy base, toast the remaining 30 g flour in a dry saucepan for 1–2 minutes. Add the remaining 35 g butter, then gradually pour in 750 ml milk, whisking constantly. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Heat 45 ml oil, sauté 1 chopped onion for 3 minutes, add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for another 30 seconds. Add 300 g finely chopped heart of palm, 8 g parsley, the remaining salt to taste and black pepper to taste; warm through for 3–4 minutes, without overcooking the palmito.

Combine the hot white sauce with the filling, remove from heat and let the filling cool for 20 minutes, so it firms up and won't soak through the dough.

Roll out the dough and line 5 small empadinha molds, saving some dough for the tops. Fill the molds with the cooled filling, cover with dough and pinch the edges firmly to seal.

Beat 1 egg yolk with 5 ml oil, brush the tops and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let the empadinhas rest for 10 minutes before serving.