David Leite

This pale Portuguese-inspired soup and salad makes up for in taste what it lacks in tradition.

A dreamy, creamy riff on the classic arroz de pato, this dish call in flavor favors from duck, cured ham, spicy sausage, and tangy oranges.

This classic Portuguese dessert with its tender crumb and citrus smack tastes as stunning as it looks. Swear.

Pasta made fresh according to Italian tradition is unspeakably more supple, satisfying, and gratifying than the dried-out store-bought stuff and will make your mouth water. Here's how to make it at home.

Maionese de leite in Portuguese, milk mayonnaise--you heard us--is a creamy, eggless emulsion held together by oil, milk (natch), and a lotta love.

To his surprise, and horror, some of the best salt cod fritters David Leite ever ate weren't Portuguese, but Spanish. Light, crunchy, and perfectly balanced.

We think these conversation-starting cookies defy the laws of physics. When you experience what big flavors they flaunt for something so thin, we think you, too, will be convinced.

These sweet and spicy nuts are addictive, so serve with care. The sweet comes from sugar, the spicy is the result of red pepper flakes. Use any kind of nut.

We're bewitched, thanks to this aged cookie dough--yes, aged COOKIE DOUGH--that indulges us in an adult cookie with notes of rich butterscotch and bitter dark chocolate.

These diminutive queques are flavored with a hint of citrus that's equally welcome at breakfast, tea, or any other hour of the day, quite frankly.

Rabbit Hunter Style is a favorite dish in Portugal. This Portuguese recipe is rich with rabbit (or chicken), bacon, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms.

Creamy custard is infused with tea for an unusual take on the classic Portuguese flan. The classic caramel topping gives the dessert its depth and sweetness.

Earthy black-eyed peas, Portuguese tuna, sliced onion, garlic, and parsley are tossed together in a vinegar-y salad dressing for a quick, nutritious salad.

Dense and rich, this gluten-free cake is a fave among the Portuguese, and anyone who's ever tried it. Its unforgettable taste comes from almonds, lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla.

A classic recipe in Portugal, this dish features softly scrambled eggs filled with fried potatoes and shards of salt cod. On top: olives and parsley.

The last thing you need to worry about tomorrow morning is breakfast. With this brioche French toast, you assemble it today, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and tomorrow slide it in the oven. By the time gifts are open, breakfast will be on the table.

Not Portuguese? Not a problem. It won't lessen your appreciation for these little lovelies with the shatteringly crisp pastry cradling ridiculously creamy custard.

In Portugal, deep-frying beans is a long-standing tradition. Serve these peixinhos da horta as a starter, snack, or, as the Portuguese do, a side dish.

Some nights we dream of being lost amid giant steaks piled high with mounds and mounds of sweet caramelized shallots made according to this recipe. Hate to wake up.

An impressive dessert, created by David himself, gets an autumnal lilt from pumpkin purée in the batter and maple syrup in the frosting. One of our most popular cakes.