Brazilian recipe
Creamy Beef Shepherd's Pie (Escondidinho de Carne)
A classic Brazilian comfort food, this dish layers silky cassava mash with a rich, seasoned ground beef filling and a bubbly, melted cheese topping.
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Ingredients
1 kg cassava (yuca)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups heavy cream
300 ml coconut milk
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Ground white pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 kg beef (top round or lean beef), finely chopped by hand
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 coffee spoons annatto powder (achiote)
2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped green olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and spring onions (cheiro-verde)
1 beef bouillon cube
Fresh chili pepper (dedo-de-moça or similar), finely chopped to taste
Water as needed
200 g sliced mozzarella cheese
100 g coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
150 g creamy soft cheese (requeijão)
Extra coarsely grated Parmesan for topping
Extra chopped fresh parsley and spring onions for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups heavy cream
300 ml coconut milk
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Ground white pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 kg beef (top round or lean beef), finely chopped by hand
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 coffee spoons annatto powder (achiote)
2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped green olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and spring onions (cheiro-verde)
1 beef bouillon cube
Fresh chili pepper (dedo-de-moça or similar), finely chopped to taste
Water as needed
200 g sliced mozzarella cheese
100 g coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
150 g creamy soft cheese (requeijão)
Extra coarsely grated Parmesan for topping
Extra chopped fresh parsley and spring onions for garnish
Where to find ingredients
Cassava (yuca) can be found in the produce section of most supermarkets or at local markets. If you cannot find fresh cassava, check the frozen section for peeled and cut yuca. Annatto powder is often found in the spice aisle or at shops specializing in Caribbean or Latin American ingredients. Requeijão is a specific Brazilian creamy cheese; if unavailable, a thick cream cheese or a mix of mascarpone and a little heavy cream can be used as a substitute, though the authentic product is best. The beef can be sourced from your local butcher; ask for a lean cut like top round and chop it finely to match the traditional texture.
Preparation method
- Boil the cassava until it's nice and tender
- Drain the cassava and mash it up well while it's still hot
- Melt the butter in a pot, add the mashed cassava, and lightly sauté it
- Transfer the sautéed cassava into a blender
- Add the heavy cream and coconut milk to the blender
- Blend until you get a smooth and creamy consistency
- Fold the finely grated parmesan cheese into the cream
- Season with salt and white pepper to your liking
- Set the cassava cream aside
- In a separate pot, heat up the olive oil
- Add the minced meat and cook until it gets a nice brown colour
- Toss in the chopped garlic and onion and cook for a few more minutes
- Stir in the annatto, chopped green bell pepper, chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, chopped scallions, beef bouillon cube, and chopped scotch bonnet pepper
- Sauté all the filling ingredients together
- Taste and adjust the salt as needed
- Add a little water bit by bit as needed to keep the mixture moist while the meat cooks through
- In a baking dish, spread half of the cassava cream on the bottom
- Cover it evenly with the meat filling
- Lay the mozzarella slices over the meat
- Spread the creamy processed cheese over the top
- Cover everything with the rest of the cassava cream
- Sprinkle the coarsely grated parmesan cheese on top
- Scatter some chopped scallions over it
- Pop it into a preheated oven at 180°C to gratinate for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until it turns golden brown
Observations
Escondidinho is a beloved Brazilian staple, perfect for cozy family dinners or when you want to impress guests with something hearty. The base of smooth, buttery cassava purée offers a unique, velvety texture that pairs beautifully with the robust, well-spiced ground beef. To finish, it is topped with a generous layer of cheese that turns golden and bubbly under the grill.
This is a traditional, no-fuss recipe designed to bring that authentic homemade flavour to your kitchen. The secret lies in the purée, made by blending boiled cassava with fresh cream and coconut milk for extra richness. The beef is sautéed with peppers, tomatoes, and a kick of spice, then baked with mozzarella and Parmesan for a truly satisfying finish.
This is a traditional, no-fuss recipe designed to bring that authentic homemade flavour to your kitchen. The secret lies in the purée, made by blending boiled cassava with fresh cream and coconut milk for extra richness. The beef is sautéed with peppers, tomatoes, and a kick of spice, then baked with mozzarella and Parmesan for a truly satisfying finish.
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