Torta de Camarão e Suco de Açaí

Shrimp Pie and Açaí Juice

Brasília, Brasil— Mariana Ferreira

I was born in Brasília, but my parents are from different regions of Brazil, having come to the Capital with the dream of a better life. My mother arrived in the city as a child, alongside my grandmother and my aunts and uncles, shortly after the city was built. My maternal family is from a state called Maranhão, in the Northeast region of Brazil, known for its breathtaking sand dunes and a regional cuisine rich in seafood and tropical fruits, like bacuri, cupuaçu, and the famous açaí.

When my maternal family arrived in Brasília, and for many years that followed, it was quite difficult and expensive for them to find, in the capital, ingredients that are common back in the Northeast, like shrimp and açaí. So whenever a family member traveled to Maranhão, they would return carrying the famous styrofoam cooler boxes, packed with things like dried shrimp (which keep for months in the freezer), frozen tropical fruits, and a soda very common in Maranhão called Guaraná Jesus.

I grew up very close to my maternal grandmother, who was my second mother and an extraordinary cook, knowing that those ingredients were treasures, saved only for special occasions. I remember that Sunday lunches at my vó Gesi's house were sacred, but on a celebratory date — like Mother's Day, Easter Sunday, or Christmas, that was the day for shrimp pie and açaí juice.

My grandmother passed away in 2021, leaving behind so much saudade and so many wonderful recipes that only she knew how to make. For this recipe, I called my aunt and godmother, who, just like my grandmother, gave me the instructions with great affection and not a single exact measurement. So the quantities listed here are my own estimates, ones that ended up working, but what matters most is to put a lot of love into the seasoning, just like Dona Gesi did.

Ingredients

1 kg dried medium shrimp, desalted (or small fresh shrimp) 3 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped 3 large onions, finely chopped 4 colorful bell peppers, finely chopped 8 large potatoes, boiled and sliced 8 eggs Olive oil (for sautéing + greasing the pan) 4 bunches fresh herbs, parsley and chives Lemon juice, to taste Salt and black pepper, to taste Serves 8 hungry Brazilians For the açaí juice: 1 kg frozen açaí pulp Water and sugar to taste

Method

1) Soak the dried shrimp in water to remove excess salt, changing the water every hour until no longer salty — this can take several hours. If using fresh small shrimp, season with lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. 2) Dice the potatoes into small pieces and boil until tender. Drain and set aside. 3) In a large pan, warm a generous drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and tomato and sauté until golden and softened. 4) Add the desalted shrimp, stirring well. Add the bell peppers, herbs, and boiled potato. Stir to combine. 5) Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Beat the eggs: first whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold in the yolks. 6) Let the filling simmer until creamy and fragrant. Let it reduce slightly. Adjust salt, add lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Stir a small amount of the beaten egg into the pan so the filling binds better to the pie. 7) Grease a baking dish with olive oil. Pour just over half the beaten eggs into the bottom to form the base layer. Spoon the filling evenly over it. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top to cover. 8) Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For the açaí juice: Blend 1 kg frozen açaí pulp with water and sugar until you reach a thick, smooth juice. Serve very cold. Traditionally accompanied by farinha de puba.