This is a quick and easy recipe for Ervilhas com Ovos Portuguesa translated to Portuguese Style Peas and Chorizo. Ervilhas com Ovos Portuguesa is a classic Portuguese stew made with sweet green peas, Portuguese chorizo, and eggs.
Lenny loves this recipe, and it is pure comfort food for him. When he was in Boston last week, his mother sent him home with a container of traditional Ervilhas com Ovos Portuguesa that she made. Yep, he flew home with a big plastic tub full of Ervilhas com Ovos Portuguesa. I took this as a hint that it was time for me to finally fine-tune my recipe.
I will NEVER be able to make any Portuguese recipe the way his mother does nor do I want to try to do that. Instead, I attempt to make his as well as my favorite Portuguese dishes purely by memory and taste. I guess with a bit of a modern twist. He always encourages me to make the recipes mine.
During spring I will this recipe using English fresh peas. When I do the cooking time will need to be increased by a couple of minutes. When I use frozen peas I unthaw them about an hour before cooking.
Lenny said my recipe tastes similar to what his mother makes, but his mother does not use wine as the liquid base. She uses water. I like using wine as I find it adds more flavor. Shhh, don’t tell her. As well I like the peas to be bright green and not overcooked. Overcooked peas freak me out. Another secret to be kept between us.
The way I have been served this recipe the eggs are fried. I prefer a runny yolk so I lightly cook the eggs along with the peas during the last few minutes of cooking. Either way, it turned out really delicious and this recipe is so simple to make.
This recipe can be served on it’s own with a salad and warm bread to make a meal. Or it can be served alongside a roasted meat dish as a side. Either way is perfect!
More Tasty Portuguese Recipes
Portuguese Cod with Potatoes and Chorizo
Portuguese Style Chicken Tacos
Ervilhas com Ovos Portuguesa
Pure Portuguese comfort food recipe made with spicy chorizo simmered with eggs, wine and seasonings before topping with the perfect runny egg.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
- 1 9 1/2 ounce Portuguese chorizo
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons piri piri sauce
- 1 cup Portuguese dry white wine or water
- 4 cups frozen (thaw them out first) or fresh peas
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced, as a garnish
- 2 - 4 eggs - depending on how many people are enjoying
Instructions
Place a deep frying pan on the stove and heat over medium-low heat.
Add the olive oil and the onions. Stir and sauté until soft; about 3 minutes.
Cut the chorizo into thin circles.
Add chorizo and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Stirring often to prevent sticking.
Add the garlic, stir. Then add the piri piri, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the wine or water if you prefer, stir and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add the peas, stir and cook for 1 minute over low heat.
Gently crack the eggs on top of the peas and cover with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat until whites are cooked and yolks still runny; about 5 - 7 minutes depending on the heat of your stove.
Season to taste with salt. I find the piri piri and chorizo salty so I usually do not season that much.
Garnish with parsley.
Serve.
Eat.
Notes
Adjust the spiciness by adding more or less of the piri piri.
Ana Maria
Tuesday 28th of March 2017
I love this dish.
When I cook it I sauté chourico and then take the meat out but leave the grease in to cook the onions/garlic so they have a little more flavor. Then I add it back in once the peas are cooked. (I like my chourico to be a little more crispy at the end..I find when I leave it in during the liquid part it gets too soft for me)
Also, I would traditionally add some Piri Piri during the spicing time but we don't always have that around so I find Sriracha gives it the heat I like.
Thank you for sharing this in english. I know what I am making for dinner tonight.
Mina Soares
Tuesday 5th of August 2014
Comfort food indeed! One of my favourites. I don't use wine but I do use add about a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce with water and also some paprika and 1 bay leaf. I cook this "sauce" for about an hour before adding the peas and eggs. By using the water/tomato sauce, I have something to dunk my crusty bread. BTW, the Portuguese sausage is called chourico as opposed to the Spanish chorizo.
Teresa
Monday 25th of October 2010
ah, found this by accident looking for a version in english of this recipe ( translating is hard work). You got the recipe nailed just right, and very wise to not try to make it like his mother. Though you know, I think this is one of those dishes where every single Portuguese person knows the one right true recipe to make it, which is of course the way mother or grandmother did it. This is just not restaurant food, every client will have a specific different idea of the RIGHT way to do it.
I also put white wine on my own, though I dilute it with boilinh water. Trying hard to not give the suggestion, but failing, try adding a little bit of tomato paste (polpa de tomate? passata maybe in english? ) when adding the wine, just a bit, not enough to notice is there, but it gives more body and somehow brings out the taste of the peas and egg better.
Laranja com Canela
Saturday 5th of December 2009
Very good.
Georgia
Tuesday 15th of September 2009
What a great way to enjoy peas!