Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)
From A Taste of History at the Richmond Farmers’ Market
Paula and Sergio Pasquini sell Paula’s Brazilian baked treats at Pingo Doce in the Richmond Farmers’ Market.
Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)
- Yield: About 30 balls 1x
Description
Paula and Sergio Pasquini are residents of Marina Bay and vendors at the Sunday farmers’ market, where they sell Paula’s Brazilian baked treats at Pingo Doce (“sweet drop” in Portuguese). Paula’s Italian grandparents immigrated to Brazil, where her grandmother and sisters baked for weddings and parties. “No doubt my family always inspired me to learn to cook and bake,” says Paula, “but I actually learned to make cheese bread here in the U.S. because it was something we missed so much. It’s a comfort food that you can eat anytime, and it brings us a little closer to our Brazilian roots.”
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) tapioca flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (100 grams) Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (100 grams) mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Pour the tapioca flour into a bowl. In a small saucepan, combine milk, water, and oil and bring to a boil.
When the liquids are boiling, pour immediately into the tapioca flour and mix well (the dough will become very gummy looking).
Let the mixture cool down a little and add the eggs. (It works better if you use your hands from now on to work the dough.) Add the cheeses and salt and mix all together.
By greasing your hands a little, you can start to make small balls (about 30 or 40 grams).
Place the balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper or on a silicone tray and bake for 20 minutes or until they are puffed and golden.
- Category: Sweet treats and snacks
