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Pichas from my homeland“Pichas”, also known in some regions as “camarinha” are a small shrimp, a delicious snack virtually unknown in Portugal but much appreciated, for example, in Spain. It is perhaps one of the best kept secrets of our cuisine and transports me immediately to the times of my childhood in Buarcos, Figueira da Foz. At that time, the fishmongers along the beach tried to sell the harvest of the last fishing, to improve the scarce family budget. It was a regale to see the bowls full of crab, “percebes”, shrimp from the coast and sometimes “pichas” when the fishermen did not use them as bait.

It is perhaps one of the best kept secrets of our cuisine and transports me immediately to the times of my childhood.

The simplest ways to cook them are sometimes the tastiest ones. Just boil in salted water and serve, or join chopped onion, olive oil and vinegar to taste. Accompanied with a beer or a freshly white wine is perfect for an entry in a dinner of friends or a snack on a summer afternoon.
Today I no longer find these fishmongers at the beach of my childhood, but if you visit Figueira da Foz, don’t miss the beautiful Market “Engenheiro Silva”, recently restored, and look for this delicious delicacy. You will not regret it.

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