Recipe: Cheesy Bread
There’s a host of different names and incarnations for the South American snack made of tapioca flour and cheese: Ecuador’s pan de yuca is a version of Paraguay’s mbejú or chipa, which is another way of saying pan de queso in Colombia, cuñape in Bolivia, or pao de queijo in Brazil.
The dough, which is naturally gluten free, comes together in a jiffy and there are multiple ways to make use of it. Roll it into balls and bake as-is or in a muffin pan, and you'll have a tender, satisfyingly chewy cheese roll to serve with soup or to make into little sandwiches. Form thin ropes of the dough and bake as breadsticks or circles until crisp to get closer to the chipa variation (which often includes aniseed). Or, for a wild diversion from tradition where minds are blown and cultures collide, flatten the balls of dough into discs. Cook in a hot skillet or a waffle iron, and you'll have the chewiest, cheesiest base for little individual pizzas that ever was.
The mix of cheeses here is only a suggestion. The possibilities are limitless! Just aim for a balance of mild and melty with something sharper, to increase flavor.
Cheesy Bread
Makes 6 rolls or personal pizzas
1¼ cups tapioca flour
1 cup grated fresh mozzarella cheese (not the type sold in a water pack)
¾ cup grated Monterey jack
¼ cup grated parmesan or other hard cheese
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, very soft
1 large egg
1-2 tablespoons milk
For the Pizzas
1½ cups crushed Italian tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons excellent olive oil
Additional shredded or thinly sliced mozzarella
Tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil or oregano
Combine the tapioca flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and stir well.
Add the grated cheese and toss to distribute it.
Add the butter and eggs and toss gently to combine, then stir more aggressively until the dough begins to clump.
Add 1 tablespoon of milk and use your hands to knead the dough briefly in the bowl. It should come together into a smooth ball; if not, add more milk, a tiny bit at a time, until you have a well-combined, smooth dough. It should not be sticky at all.
(Note: You can make the dough ahead and store in the refrigerator for up to a day.)
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball.
If you are baking rolls, heat the oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Arrange the formed rolls on the tray and bake 12-15 minutes, until firm and golden.
For the pizza bases, flatten a dough ball and place it on a sheet of wax paper that has been lightly dusted with a bit of tapioca flour. Sprinkle a touch more flour on top before covering with a second wax paper sheet, and roll out to a roughly 6” diameter circle. You can cook this in an ungreased heavy skillet over medium heat or (preferred) pop it into a heated waffle iron. Cook until until golden on each side.
Combine the tomatoes, olive oil and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
Place a heat-proof rack on a baking sheet (this will keep the bottoms of the crusts crispy).
Heat the broiler in your oven. Top the cooked bases with a generous spoonful of tomato sauce, and then the additional mozzarella, and broil until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown in spots. Serve immediately, with a light grating of parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh herbs on top.
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