BRAZILIAN CUISINE : CHEESE ROLLS

Cheese Rolls (Pão de Queijo)

These delicate rolls are originally from Minas Gerais but have become so popular that they can now be found across the country. But be forewarned, pão de queijo disappear almost as soon as they come out of the oven. Once you have your first taste, you will see why these rolls rarely have the chance to get cold.

Recipe

Makes 40 to 45 rolls

Ingredients

4 cups manioc starch or tapioca flour or starch
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces Parmesan cheese
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon canola oil, for forming the rolls

On your mark, get set . . .

• Add the tapioca flour and salt to a large bowl.
• Blend together with a whisk.
• Grate the cheese using the largest holes on a box grater. Measure 1 cup and set aside.
• Measure the rest of the ingredients and have them close by.
• You will need an ungreased cookie sheet to bake the rolls.

Cook!

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Pour 1 cup of the milk into a saucepan and add the butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Be careful the milk does not boil over.
• Pour the milk-and-butter combination over the flour. Mix together with a fork or spoon. Let the mixture cool a bit.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each into the dough before adding the next.
• Add the final 3 tablespoons of milk to the dough, a spoonful at a time, until the dough is smooth. If the dough feels dry, add a little more milk, but no more than 1 tablespoon.
• Knead the dough in the bowl until all the ingredients are well blended and the dough is smooth.
• Add the grated cheese and mix it into the dough. Don’t worry if the cheese doesn’t blend in completely.
• Lightly grease the palms of your very clean hands with some of the oil.
• Tear off a piece of the dough about the size of a ping-pong ball.
• Lightly roll the dough into a ball in the palms of your hands.
• Place it on the baking sheet.
• Repeat until all the rolls are formed and placed on the baking sheet, leaving ¼ inch between each roll.
• If you need to bake the dough in two batches, refrigerate the unformed dough while the first batch bakes, or use two baking sheets.
• Bake the rolls on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set a timer so you don’t forget.
• Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rolls are a light golden brown.
• Remove the rolls from the oven and lift them with a pair of tongs or a spatula to a cooling rack. Serve

Chef’s Tip

Manioc, cassava, or tapioca flour or starch are the same ingredient just identified with different names. Tapioca  starch or flour is available in health food stores. You are most likely to find it with the wheat-free or gluten-free products. Read more about manioc in the Essential Ingredients (page 91).

By Matthew Locricchio in the book 'The Cooking of Brazil', Marshal Cavendish Corp., New York, 2011-2012, p.38-40- photo by Jack McConnell. Edited and adapted to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.