Empada de perdiz

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Empada de perdiz is a partridge pie from Portugal, most closely associated with Alentejo and other interior regions where game birds are part of the local food culture. It is prepared by cooking partridge with aromatics, wine, and seasonings before enclosing the meat in a pastry shell and baking it until the filling and crust set together. The dish developed in areas where partridge hunting was common and where cooks used stews of game birds as bases for pies that could be stored, transported, or served in a more structured form. Over generations, households and small inns in hunting regions adopted the method of slowly cooking partridge with onions, garlic, olive oil, wine, and herbs, then shredding the meat and reducing the cooking liquid to form a cohesive filling suitable for encasing in dough. Preparation begins with cleaning the partridges and browning them lightly in olive oil to develop flavor. Onions, garlic, bay leaves, pepper, and sometimes cured pork or ham are added, followed by white wine or occasionally red wine depending on regional preference. The birds are simmered until tender, after which the meat is removed from the bones and shredded. The cooking liquid is reduced or thickened to create a concentrated base that binds the meat. A pastry made from flour, fat, and water is prepared and rolled into a base and top crust, forming a sealed enclosure for the filling. The pie is baked until the pastry becomes firm and golden, and the filling is heated through so the flavors integrate. Empada de perdiz is eaten in rural homes, small restaurants, and game-focused establishments, particularly during hunting season or special meals where game is highlighted. It may be served warm or at room temperature, often accompanied by simple salads, roasted vegetables, or bread-based side dishes that balance the richness of the pie. It pairs well with Portuguese red wines such as Alentejo blends, Dão, or mature Douro reds, whose structure complements the concentrated flavors of the partridge filling and the pastry’s lightly fatty character.