Cartola

Cartola is a traditional dessert from Pernambuco: fried banana topped with melted cheese and a layer of sugar and cinnamon. Since 2009 it has been part of the state's intangible cultural heritage, by state law, and it is among the typical sweets recommended to try in Porto de Galinhas.

How it is made

In the traditional recipe recorded by Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, based on the work of researcher Maria Lecticia Monteiro Cavalcanti, ripe prata bananas are fried in butter until golden and placed on the serving dish. Thick slices of queijo do sertão, that is, queijo de manteiga (butter cheese), are melted over the heat and cover the bananas completely. A generous mix of granulated sugar and cinnamon goes on top, and the dessert is served right away. There is also a version with grilled queijo de coalho (a firm cheese for grilling) instead of queijo de manteiga.

Origin of the name

Cartola was born in the casas-grandes (main houses) of Pernambuco's sugar plantations, from a mix of ingredients, techniques and habits of Portuguese colonizers, Indigenous peoples and enslaved Africans. No one knows who created it, or where or when. The name (cartola means top hat) probably comes from its tall shape, given by the layers of banana and cheese, and from the dark color of the cinnamon.

Pernambuco heritage

State Law 13,751, of April 2009, declared cartola intangible cultural heritage of Pernambuco. It belongs to the group of Pernambuco sweets registered as intangible heritage, alongside bolo de rolo (a thin rolled cake with guava filling) and bolo Souza Leão (a cassava cake). To learn about other dishes from the region, see Regional cuisine.