Chef Margarida
Azeitonas Temperadas
The marinated olives that sit on every tasca table in Portugal, swimming in garlic, herbs, and enough azeite to make you reach for bread before you've even ordered. This is how we begin.
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Folhados de Salsicha
Created by
The sausage rolls that fill every bakery case in Portugal, golden puff pastry wrapped around seasoned pork, the kind of snack you grab without thinking and remember all day
Appetizers & Snacks
Portuguese
Make Ahead
Potluck
Freezer Friendly
25 min
Active Time
25 min cook•50 min total
Yield12 rolls
Walk into any pastelaria in Portugal and there they are. Rows of golden folhados behind the glass, puff pastry shining from the egg wash, the ends of the sausages peeking out. You point, they wrap it in a paper napkin, you eat it standing at the counter with your bica. This is Portugal.
Avó Leonor didn't make these often because she made everything from scratch and puff pastry is work. But when she did, usually before a romaria or a family gathering, she'd make dozens. The house would fill with that smell of butter and pork and something browning in a hot oven. We'd hover near the kitchen, waiting to steal one the moment they came out.
This is the kind of recipe that doesn't need improving. Sausage. Pastry. Egg wash. Maybe sesame seeds if you're feeling fancy. That's it. The genius is in the simplicity. The flaky layers of pastry, the savory meat, the way it all comes together in your hand. Peasant food. Street food. The food of pastelarias and festas and train station cafés.
I've seen people try to complicate this. Add cheese. Add mustard. Make it "elevated." Não mexas nisso. Don't mess with it. Some things are perfect as they are.
Folhados belong to Portugal's rich tradition of savory pastries, influenced by centuries of contact with French and Arabic baking techniques. The mass production of puff pastry in Portuguese bakeries began in earnest in the 20th century, transforming folhados from special occasion food into everyday snacks. Today they sit alongside rissóis and pastéis de bacalhau in every pastelaria, a testament to how industrial convenience can preserve rather than erase tradition.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
Portuguese fresh pork sausages (salsichas frescas)
Quantity
6 (about 450g total)
puff pastry (massa folhada)
Quantity
500g
thawed if frozen
egg
Quantity
1 large
beaten with 1 tablespoon water
sesame seeds (optional)
Quantity
1 teaspoon
flour
Quantity
for dusting
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Portuguese fresh pork sausages (salsichas frescas) | 6 (about 450g total) |
| puff pastry (massa folhada)thawed if frozen | 500g |
| eggbeaten with 1 tablespoon water | 1 large |
| sesame seeds (optional) | 1 teaspoon |
| flour | for dusting |
Equipment Needed
- •Rolling pin
- •Baking sheet
- •Pastry brush
- •Wire cooling rack
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the sausages
Remove the sausages from their casings if they have them. If using skin-on sausages, you can leave them whole. Prick each sausage a few times with a fork to prevent bursting. Some grandmothers skip this step and say the pastry holds everything in. Both work.
Portuguese salsichas frescas are mildly seasoned fresh pork sausages, not cured like chouriço. If you can't find them, use good quality fresh pork sausages with some paprika in the mix. - 2
Roll and cut the pastry
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a rectangle about 3mm thick, roughly 30cm by 40cm. Cut into 12 strips, each about 10cm wide and long enough to wrap around your sausages with some overlap. The pastry doesn't need to be perfect. This is pastelaria food, not architecture.
- 3
Wrap the sausages
Place one sausage at the edge of a pastry strip and roll it up, leaving the ends of the sausage slightly exposed. Press the seam to seal. If using casings, the sausage ends should peek out from the pastry like they're peeking out of a blanket. If using loose sausage meat, you can tuck the pastry under at the ends. Repeat with remaining sausages and pastry.
The exposed sausage ends are traditional. They let steam escape and tell you what's inside. Every pastelaria displays them this way. - 4
Chill and rest
Place the wrapped sausages seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. This firms up the pastry and helps it puff properly. Don't skip this. Cold pastry, hot oven. That's how you get layers.
- 5
Egg wash and bake
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush each roll generously with the egg wash, making sure to coat all the pastry surfaces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden and puffed, with the pastry crisp and the sausage cooked through. The kitchen will smell like every pastelaria you've ever walked into.
- 6
Cool slightly and serve
Let the folhados cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack or serving platter. They're best warm, when the pastry shatters and the sausage is still juicy. But they're good at room temperature too. That's how you'll find them in every pastelaria case in Portugal, stacked in rows, waiting.
Chef Tips
- •Use Portuguese salsichas frescas if you can find them. They're seasoned with garlic and wine, milder than Spanish chorizo. A good butcher shop in a Portuguese neighborhood will have them. Otherwise, use quality fresh pork sausages.
- •Cold pastry, hot oven. This is the rule. If your pastry warms up while you're working, put everything back in the fridge for 10 minutes. Warm pastry doesn't puff; it just gets greasy.
- •Store-bought puff pastry is fine here. Even the grandmothers use it now. Look for all-butter puff pastry if you can find it. The flavor is better.
- •These freeze beautifully before baking. Arrange unbaked rolls on a sheet, freeze solid, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time. This is how you always have party food ready.
Advance Preparation
- •Unbaked folhados can be refrigerated overnight, covered, and baked the next day.
- •Freeze unbaked rolls for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 30 to 35 minutes.
- •Baked folhados keep at room temperature for a day, loosely covered. Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes to restore crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 80g)
Calories
310 calories
Total Fat
23 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
12 g
Cholesterol
44 mg
Sodium
455 mg
Total Carbohydrates
17 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
9 g
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