{"id":4212,"date":"2015-01-14T08:41:29","date_gmt":"2015-01-14T08:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.giltravel.com\/exploring-jewish-portugal-through-the-communitys-culinary-traditions\/"},"modified":"2023-08-06T11:37:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-06T15:37:56","slug":"jewish-portugal-culinary-traditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.giltravel.com\/blog\/jewish-portugal-culinary-traditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Jewish Portugal through the Community\u2019s Culinary Traditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sephardic Jewish food is a vibrant tapestry of culinary traditions developed among the Sephardi Jews, who originated from the Iberian Peninsula which includes Portugal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the cuisine originated in the Iberian Peninsula, it has been since impacted by the many communities Sephardic Jews have joined around the world. Sephardic Jewish food is a tapestry of flavor and history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Portuguese Sephardic food often includes vegetables, salads, ground beef, and stuffed vegetables. Traditional Sephardi dishes typically include spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger, caraway, and cardamon, and sometimes use scented water like rose and orange. It is still cooked in many Sephardic families today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Portuguese Jewish dishes are actually quite surprising. For example, did you know Portuguese Jews invented fish and chips? The dish, according to Claudia Ronen, author of \u201cThe Book of Jewish Food\u201d, descended from the Spanish dish <\/span>Pescado frito<\/span><\/i>. When Jewish refugees were forced to act like Christians, they would serve fried fish on Fridays and eat it cold on Shabbat.<\/span><\/p>\n

The practice of eating cold fish on Shabbat still exists today, hundreds of years after the expulsion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a country where much of the food centers around ham, Sephardic Jewish food also has its own take on sausages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Inquisition, it was often a test at dinner tables to see who would eat the ham served\u2013a way to find out who was Jewish and who wasn\u2019t. The consequences, if a Jewish person was caught not participating in the ham feast, could be devastating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But many Sephardic Jews found a way to keep their Kosher dietary laws without getting caught.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alheira sausages are garlicky and filled with bread crumbs\u2013and they were created so that Jews during the Inquisition could hang sausages out of their windows much like their Christian neighbors. This sausage, however, was not made of pork\u2013it was usually made of bread and chicken.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Inquisition, many Sephardic Jews left Portugal and settled in countries like Turkey, Greece, North Africa, and the Arab regions of West Asia. They carried their language, Ladino, and they also brought with them the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Much of the Sephardic cuisine from Portugal was connected to Moorish foods since Jews and Muslims shared many of the same food restrictions. They share citrus flavors, cilantro, almonds, and cinnamon use, and a tradition of fried foods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll delve into the diverse and delicious world of Sephardic Sephardic cuisine in Portugal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Portuguese<\/p>\n

A Short History of Portuguese Jews<\/span><\/h2>\n

When the Moors of North Africa ruled over Portugal until the middle of the 13th century, the Jews of Portugal enjoyed prosperous and peaceful lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the Christian Kings took over the region, Jews were still highly regarded for a while. T<\/span><\/p>\n

they were high up in government and business. In 1492, luck changed when Spain expelled its Jewish population. Many Jews fled to Portugal, but their refuge was short-lived.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Between 1540 and 1794, the Portuguese Inquisition destroyed what had once been a vibrant community, scattering the remains to surrounding countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many ended up in London, Amsterdam, Turkey, Greece, France, Brazil, Morocco, and other places. Some of the earliest synagogues built in North America were founded by Sephardic Jews escaping Portugal.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

History of Sephardic Food<\/span><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>history of Sephardic Jewish<\/span><\/a> food can be traced back to ancient Spain when Jews likely ate from the abundance of crops available to them, such as wheat, olives, and grapes, following the dietary laws of kashrut.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Visigothic period (fourth to eighth century CE), Jews and Christians interacted in food-related activities, including cultivating crops and sharing communal ovens. In this period, the Jewish diet consisted of bread, wine, and kosher meats, but detailed information is scarce.<\/span><\/p>\n

A more distinct Sephardic culinary repertoire emerged during the early medieval period when the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula introduced Muslim gastronomic inclinations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sephardic Jews adopted ingredients and cooking techniques influenced by the food of the Persian Empire, incorporating items like eggplant, leeks, spinach, cucumbers, and garbanzo beans into their dishes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Much of Sephardic Jewish food today reflects this shift in Sephardic Jewish food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Religious and political shifts in medieval Spain, including the Reconquista and the establishment of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions, significantly impacted the Jewish communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jewish food in Portugal and Spain is especially important because of its historical significance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Culinary practices became a target for identifying suspected Judaizing individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Edict of Expulsion in 1492 expelled Jews from Spain, attributing food practices like the sharing of unleavened bread and ritually slaughtered meats as specifically Jewish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Crypto-Jewish women, who retained their connection to Judaism in secret, played a crucial role in preserving Jewish rituals and food practices within the home. Now, with Synagogue groups that meet to make Sephardic food, as well as other modern events, many Sephardic Jewish women continue to carry on their family\u2019s food traditions to the next generations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are Sephardic Jews from Portugal?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Portuguese Jews are Sephardic Jewish. Many of the Portuguese Jews in the country today descend from Jews that lived as Conversos during the Inquisition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is typical Sephardic food?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"typical<\/p>\n

Sephardic food is a distinct type of cuisine from Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent. It often includes vine leaves, olive oil, salads, lentils, fruits, chickpeas, herbs, and nuts. There is also often the use of lamb or ground beef and fresh lemon that brings brightness to the dishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like many traditional Jewish foods, certain dishes come up more often on special occasions and holidays. One of the best ways to explore Jewish Portugal through culinary traditions is by lining up the cuisine with the particular holiday it is associated with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shabbat: Slow-Cooked Delights and Savoury Pastries<\/span><\/h2>\n

On Shabbat, Sephardic Jews prepare delectable dishes that simmer slowly on a low flame overnight, allowing for a delicious meal the following day. This is similar to the cholent, a slow cooker stew in Ashkenazi communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

One such dish in the Sephardic community is ropa vieja, known as Chamin or Dafina in different regions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This slow-cooked stew originated when Sephardic Jews fled Spain and settled in northwestern Africa. It usually also includes vegetables and can be customized according to personal preferences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sambusak, eaten by Sephardic communities since the 13th century, is a semicircular pocket of dough filled with mashed chickpeas, fried onions, and spices, is another traditional Shabbat dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adafina, a traditional Saturday dish, is made of meat, chickpeas, fava beans, onion, garlic, cumin, and an array of spices, this slow-cooked stew symbolizes the Jewish heritage of many families. Adafina, which was prevalent during the middle ages, became a sign of a Jewish home during the Inquisition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interested in trying Jewish foods on Jewish heritage tours? Look into our <\/span>Portugal Jewish Heritage Tours<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Passover: Symbolic Foods and Charoset Variations<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"typical<\/p>\n

During Passover, Sephardic Jews have a wider range of ingredients they can use compared to Ashkenazi Jews. In the Sephardic Jewish community it is permissible to eat kitniyot (legumes and grains forbidden to Ashkenazi Jews).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the symbolic foods eaten during the Passover seder is charoset, which represents the mortar used by the Jewish slaves in ancient Egypt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Ashkenazi charoset typically consists of apples and nuts, Sephardic charoset varies depending on the region. It often features raisins or dates, resulting in a thicker consistency.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another Passover specialty is mina, a pie made with a matzo crust filled with meat or vegetables. It is a delicious and satisfying dish enjoyed by Sephardic Jews during the holiday.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Portugal in particular, the sponge cake \u201cpan de Espana\u201d, was eaten by Jews during Passover, but with matzo flour and corn flour replacing the flour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosh Hashanah: A Sweet Start to the New Year<\/span><\/h2>\n

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time of reflection and celebration. Traditional foods eaten during this holiday are known as yehi ratsones and symbolize good fortune for the coming year. Some of the typical dishes include:<\/span><\/p>\n