Cheese bread and Chimichurri sauce

Today we continuing with our special posts for the World Cup. This recipe is a true Brazilian tradition, we call it pão de queijo which literally translates to cheese bread. It doesn’t matter where you come from we guarantee you’ll love this snack. Snacks are definitely an essential part of our culture as they are always popular for the mid afternoon munchies or just to accompany a cold beer at the end of the day. Pão de queijo is one of our essential snacks and it’s has a special place in Brazilian hearts, almost as much as football.

And amazingly these cheese breads are gluten free! That’s right, they are made with cassava flour which is a root vegetable, it looks like a white potato with a thick brown skin. Although cassava that originates from South America it has been exported to Africa and Asia therefore you will find it in dishes from different cultures. It is this special flour that gives these little rolls its texture: crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.

The chimichurri dip however is not a Brazilian recipe but it complements the cheese bread so well. Many people also add butter or even berry jams to it but they are just really good on their own, so don’t be too worried about dips and spreads, focus on getting these babies ready, drinks on the go and get your friends together to watch the game!

Cheese breads and chimichurri sauce (makes around 30 rolls)

For the chimichurri:

¼ cup parsley

1 tbsp oregano (dried or fresh)

1 garlic clove, crushed

¼ cup chopped spring onion

1 chili

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the cheese bread:

400g manioc starch (you can find this is caribbean and asian food shops)

180ml milk

50ml vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tbsp salt

200g feta cheese, chopped

200g Gouda or Emmental cheese, grated

Method:

1. Chop the parsley, spring onion, oregano (if fresh) and chili. Mix with all the other ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper

2. Preheat the oven to 200C. Boil the milk and oil together in a pan. In a separate bowl mix the manioc starch, salt, eggs and the cheeses. After the milk has boiled add this to the starch mixture and mix with a spoon first, as the milk will be hot, once it has cooled down knead well.

3. Using your hands make little balls (whatever size you wish, I make them with 4cm diameter). Place them on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 25 minutes or until they are slightly golden.

I always make this recipe with soy milk, feta and emmental as I am lactose intolerant. The dough can also be frozen, just roll them into little balls and don’t let them stick together before freezing them.

I often make these on a Friday afternoon and have them with olives, cheese and wine, trust me they are a crowd-pleaser. All there is left to do is to keep your fingers crossed so that your team scores.