When the Portuguese arrived in Brazil the Native Brazilian’s diet was based on manioc, a very nutritious and versatile native roof tuber. Manioc may be eaten boiled, fried, may be ground into flour or starch, and is also used in the preparation of a liqueur, the Tiquira. The cassava starch is also used as a thickener instead of potato or corn starch; and also used to prepare this delicious “pão de queijo” recipe, by now a fairly known appetizer.
Ingredients
• 500 g sweet manioc starch or sour manioc starch
• 250 ml milk
• 125 ml water
• 125 ml corn oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 small eggs
• 150 g di grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation method
- Bring the liquids (milk, water, oil) to a boil with the salt.
- Place the starch into a large bowl and add the boiling liquid.
- Mix well with a spoon.
- Let the mixture cool down a little and then add eggs and the cheese. Work the mixture with your hands until dough comes together (gummy) and doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Cut the dough into pieces, them roll each dough piece into a long roll shape.
- Cut the rolls into pieces and round them with your hands.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C until a golden crust is formed on the bottom, while the inside remains gummy.
- Serve hot, but they may also be reheated.
Cheese bread may be frozen raw and baked later without defrosting. Small ones are great as snacks. Cheese bread medium size can be stuffed with cold meat or cheeses.
Posted on: 11 November 2011
I’m an architect. I was born in Brazil and my father was Italian.