Rissois de Camarao (Portuguese Shrimp Turnovers)

About This Recipe

Rissois de camarao are among the most popular petiscos (small savory bites) found across Portugal, a thick shrimp bechamel filling encased in a distinctive crescent-shaped dough and fried until deeply golden. The dough itself is unusual, made by cooking flour directly into hot milk on the stove rather than a typical yeasted or laminated pastry, giving it a smooth, pliable texture that's easy to shape into the classic half-moon form. Breaded and fried until crisp, rissois reveal a rich, creamy shrimp filling within, a textural contrast that's made these turnovers a fixture of Portuguese cafes, bakeries and celebration spreads for generations.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsmilk(for dough)
• 4 tbspbutter(for dough)
• 2 cupsall-purpose flour(for dough)
• 1/2 tspsalt(for dough)
• 300 gshrimp(peeled, deveined and chopped)
• 2 tbspbutter(for filling)
• 3 tbspflour(for filling)
• 1 cupmilk(for filling)
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tspsalt(for filling)
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 2eggs(beaten, for breading)
• 1.5 cupsbreadcrumbs(for breading)
• 4 cupsvegetable oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the shrimp filling

   Melt butter and cook the chopped shrimp until just pink, about 2 minutes; remove.

2. 2

   Make the bechamel filling

   In the same pan, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk until thick; stir in tomato paste, salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Combine

   Fold the cooked shrimp back into the thick bechamel; chill for at least 1 hour until firm.

4. 4

   Make the dough

   Heat milk and butter to a simmer, then add flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously over low heat until a smooth, thick dough forms.

5. 5

   Roll and cut

   Let the dough cool slightly, then roll thin and cut into rounds.

6. 6

   Fill and fold

   Place a spoonful of chilled shrimp filling on each round, fold into a half-moon, and press the edges to seal.

   Seal the edges firmly, pressing with a fork if needed — a poor seal will let the creamy filling leak out during frying.

7. 7

   Bread and fry

   Dip each turnover in beaten egg, then coat in breadcrumbs, and fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes until deeply golden.

8. 8

   Serve

   Drain and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  A version filled with chicken bechamel instead of shrimp is equally popular and called rissois de frango.

• •

  Some versions add a bit of nutmeg to the bechamel filling for extra warmth.

• •

  Meat-filled versions, using ground beef, are another common variation found at Portuguese cafes.

Storage

Uncooked, breaded rissois freeze exceptionally well; fry directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes. Cooked rissois keep 2 days refrigerated and reheat best in an oven.

Frequently Asked Questions