Flaky Custard Tarts With Holy Origins

The bakery and cafe Pastéis de Belém 1837, near the waterfront in Lisbon, is bound to have a line outside for its pastéis de Belém, flaky tartlets with a lightly spiced custard filling. Now, George Mendes, the chef and an owner of Veranda in SoHo, whose roots are Portuguese, is baking the treats, also known as pastéis de nata; they’re available to order only for pick up. The recipe originated at the Monastery of Jerónimos in Belém, now part of Lisbon, in the 17th century. The monks and nuns would use egg whites to starch their habits and they had to do something with the yolks, so they began selling the pastries. Thankfully for New Yorkers, SoHo is a lot closer than Portugal.

Pastéis de Nata, $8 for two, $24 for six, Veranda, 23 Grand Street (Avenue of the Americas), 212-201-9117, verandasoho.com.

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