pão de queijo.

Mara had these last week at Casa Brazuca and loved them. Crafty weasel that she is, she made them for breakfast today and I loved them. A bit too much. Warm, cheesy, chewy, kind of gelatinous weird goodness, they were great for breakfast but I can see how they'd be really amazing with a savory bean dish like feijoada or chili.

It's interesting how different they are right out of the oven. I thought for sure that would be our favorite way to eat them, but hours later they're equally good at room temperature...just very different. Kind of like Krispy Kreme donuts in their hot/cold transformation.

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pão de queijo.

1 cup milk
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup peanut or corn oil
2 cups tapioca flour
2 eggs
1 cup cheese, grated (we used a mix of 75% pecorino and 25% Gouda...the important thing is that it should be mostly hard dry cheese)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 175C. In a sauce pan, combine milk, salt, oil, and butter and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, stir in tapioca flour, then stir in eggs and cheese. Let cool for 15 minutes or until handleable. With floured hands, shape dough into golfball-sized spheres and bake for 20-25 minutes until puffed up and golden. Serve warm, and I dare you to not eat them all. Makes 9 or 10. Maybe 12.

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