Creamy Portuguese Alheira and Spinach Mashed Potato Pie

Today we have a super nifty recipe, this Portuguese Alheira Sausage Mashed Potato Pie, or “Empadão de Alheira” as it’s known in Portugal, it can be made in no time, and it’s basically a quick sauté, then just stack everything up with mashed potatoes, and if you use instant mashed potatoes it’s even easier.

If you’ve never met Alheira, let me introduce you. It’s a Portuguese smoked sausage made with bread and meat, and when you cook it down in a pan with onion and garlic it turns into a soft, savory, yummy paste. Add some spinach for a bit of green, a pinch of nutmeg in the potatoes, and a golden layer of breadcrumbs on top, and you’ve got real Portuguese comfort food MASTER CLASSS!!!! 😀 So let’s get to the recipe!

Creamy Portuguese Alheira and Spinach Mashed Potato Pie

Servings: 6
Time: 50mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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This is a classic Portuguese dish, and yes, it's a bit soft, creamy and sweet on top of soft, creamy and sweet, but I love it!

Ingredients

Alheira Sausage – 2
Onion – 1
Garlic – 2 cloves
Mashed Potatoes – To taste (1 x 150g packet of instant mash)
Nutmeg – A pinch
Butter – A knob
Spinach – 1 bunch
Breadcrumbs – To taste
Olive Oil – A drizzle
Pepper – A pinch
Salt – A pinch

Directions

Place the spinach in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, cook briefly just until most of the water has evaporated, then transfer the spinach to a bowl.
Next, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt until the onion turns golden.
Remove the casings from the Alheira Sausages (Portuguese bread-based sausages) and add the meat to the sautéed mixture, cooking until soft and paste-like, remove from the heat and set aside.
Prepare the instant mashed potatoes, you can make as much as you like. I used one packet, which yields about 8 servings, and seasoned the mash with a little butter and nutmeg.

Finally, preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºF) and prepare oven-safe bowls or a large casserole dish. Create a layer of mashed potatoes, followed by the Alheira mixture and the spinach, then top with another layer of mashed potatoes, sprinkle everything with a generous layer of breadcrumbs.
Bake for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. It’s ready to serve, enjoy!

Notes & Tips: You can also top it with breadcrumbs mixed with grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs mixed with dried herbs or pank breadcrumbs.

Alheira can be found at Portuguese markets and specialty stores, and it’s also sold online. Look for it in the refrigerated sausage section.

To take the skin off easily, cut a slit along the length of the sausage and peel it back. It comes right off. Since the interior is loose its super easy to take the skin off.

Squeeze the cooked spinach with a spoon or paper towel before layering. Less water means a creamier, less soggy pie.

Make the mashed potatoes a little on the thick side. It helps the layers hold their shape when you scoop.

Season the sauté with pepper at the end. Alheira is already well seasoned and smoky, so taste before adding more salt.

Individual oven-safe bowls look great for serving and are perfect for a dinner with friends.

You can assemble it ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge, then bake when you’re ready. Add a few extra minutes if it goes in cold.

This recipe for Creamy Portuguese Alheira and Spinach Mashed Potato Pie was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Empadão de Alheira foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.