Although not very well known in Brazil, the following recipes with alheira will show you the delight of using this typical Portuguese sausage. Usually made with poultry, bread, olive oil, lard, garlic, and paprika, there are many dishes that can be made with this ingredient. Check them out:
1. Scrambled eggs with alheira sausage
Ingredients
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 alheira
- 4 eggs
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Preparation method
- In a bowl, add the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper, and whisk until well combined.
- Remove the skin from the sausage, mash it, and sauté it with butter in a frying pan for one minute;
- Next, add the eggs, stir until it reaches the desired consistency, and serve with toast or however you prefer.
2. Sausage and spinach burger
Ingredients
- 2 frozen spinach leaves
- 2 alheiras
Preparation method
- Let the spinach thaw, squeeze out the excess liquid, and cut it into smaller pieces;
- Remove the skin from the sausages, mix the meat with the spinach and, using your hands, knead into balls;
- In a dry frying pan, place one of the balls, then flatten it into a hamburger patty;
- Let it brown on both sides, then serve as is or with bread.
3. Alheira and mushroom pastries
Ingredients
- 1 package of filo pastry
- 100g of sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 medium sliced onion
- 1 alheira
- Unsalted butter
- Chives to taste
Preparation method
- Cut the sausage horizontally, place it in a non-stick frying pan and remove the skin when it shrinks;
- Cook on both sides, pressing lightly in the pan, and when golden brown, set aside;
- In the same skillet, sauté the onion until softened, then add the mushrooms;
- Add the skinless sausage, mix everything well, turn off the heat and add the chopped scallions;
- Open the filo pastry, then, using a knife, cut it into squares and brush with melted butter;
- Join groups of 3 sheets together, place the sausage filling inside and fold the dough so that the filling does not come out;
- Place the pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees.
- When golden brown, remove from the oven and serve.
4. Alheira risotto
Ingredients
- 400 g of arborio rice
- 2 skinless and sliced sausages
- 5 tablespoons of butter beans
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 cup of white wine
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 chopped onion
- 1.3 liters of water
- Chopped parsley to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Oil
Preparation method
- In a pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden brown, then add the sausages;
- Sauté briefly, add the rice, mix everything together, then add the white wine, stirring until reduced;
- Add the water, season with pepper and salt, stir well, and let the rice cook.
- Add the beans and parsley, adjust the seasoning, add the butter, and mix everything together.
- Once the rice is cooked, add the Parmesan cheese and mix until melted.
- Serve on a plate with more parsley on top.
5. Alheira sausage fritter with egg
Ingredients
- 200 g of alheira sausage
- 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
- 1 boiled egg
- 1 raw egg
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 chopped onion
- 1 L of oil
Preparation method
- Remove the sausage from its casing and, in a bowl, mix the meat with the chopped garlic and onion;
- Using your hands, crush the ingredients, then flatten the dough and place the hard-boiled egg inside;
- Wrap the egg with the dough, seal the edges to form a small ball;
- Place the raw egg on a plate, beat it, then dip the dumpling in the egg, followed by the panko breadcrumbs;
- In a pan, preheat the oil, then fry the fritters until golden brown and serve.
6. Alheira bread
Ingredients
- 375 g of wheat flour
- 150 ml of warm water
- 2 tablespoons of chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon of ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 30 g of baker's yeast
- 1 alheira
- 1 egg
- Sesame seeds to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Oil
Preparation method
- In a frying pan, heat a little oil, fry the sausage (without the casing) until golden brown, then turn off the heat and set aside;
- In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water until well combined;
- Add the olive oil, egg, flour, pepper, and salt, and mix everything together, kneading until a dough forms;
- In a bowl, place the dough in the shape of a ball, cover with a cloth and let it double in volume;
- Grease a rectangular baking pan with butter, sprinkle with a little flour, and cover the bottom with a piece of dough;
- Add some sausage and bell pepper, then add more pasta and continue layering until all the ingredients are used up;
- Make the last layer of dough, sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and let it rest again for a few minutes;
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes or until cooked through;
- Remove from the mold and serve when cool.
7. Sweet potato gnocchi stuffed with alheira sausage
Ingredients
- 200 g of sweet potato
- 100 g of wheat flour
- 100g of alheira sausage
- 50 g of grated cheese
- 40 g of butter
- 1 bunch of sage
- 1 egg
- Salt to taste
Preparation method
- In a saucepan, cook the chopped potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain the water and mash them;
- Remove the casing from the sausage, mash it into small balls with all the meat, and set aside;
- Make a hole in the middle of the mashed potatoes, add the eggs, then mix from the edges until everything is incorporated;
- Add the flour, cheese, a little salt, mix everything until it forms a dough, and shape into small gnocchi balls;
- Make a hole in the middle of each gnocchi, stuff it with the sausage ball, and close each stuffed ball.
- In a pot of boiling water, add the gnocchi and cook for a few minutes;
- In a frying pan, melt the butter with the sage, transfer the gnocchi to it and finish with a little salt;
- Serve the gnocchi immediately.
There are many incredible options for you to try this ingredient. And if you want to learn more about this cuisine, also check out recipes for Portuguese dishes that will take you on a culinary journey.
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