Brazilian recipe
Creamy Beef and Cassava Gratin (Escondidinho de carne)
A beloved Brazilian staple, this dish features a velvety cassava mash layered with savory minced meat and finished with a golden, cheesy crust.
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Ingredients
1 kg cassava
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups fresh heavy cream
300 ml coconut milk
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 kg beef (topside), finely hand-chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons annatto powder
2 tablespoons green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (cheiro-verde), chopped
1 beef bouillon cube
Pimenta dedo-de-moça chili, minced to taste
Water as needed
200 g mozzarella cheese, sliced
100 g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
150 g requeijão cremoso
Coarsely grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Chopped fresh herbs (cheiro-verde) for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups fresh heavy cream
300 ml coconut milk
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 kg beef (topside), finely hand-chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons annatto powder
2 tablespoons green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (cheiro-verde), chopped
1 beef bouillon cube
Pimenta dedo-de-moça chili, minced to taste
Water as needed
200 g mozzarella cheese, sliced
100 g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
150 g requeijão cremoso
Coarsely grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Chopped fresh herbs (cheiro-verde) for garnish
Where to find ingredients
You can find fresh cassava, tropical ingredients like coconut milk, and Brazilian specialties like requeijão and pimenta dedo-de-moça at local specialty markets or the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets in Eswatini. If unavailable, heavy cream is a suitable substitute for fresh cream, and standard chili peppers can be used if pimenta dedo-de-moça cannot be sourced.
Preparation method
- Boil the cassava until very tender
- Drain the cassava and pass it through a potato ricer while hot
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the riced cassava, sautéing lightly
- Transfer the sautéed cassava to a blender
- Add the fresh heavy cream and coconut milk to the blender
- Blend until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous
- Stir the finely grated Parmesan cheese into the mash
- Season with salt and white pepper to taste
- Set the cassava mash aside
- In a separate pan, heat the olive oil
- Add the chopped beef and sear until browned
- Stir in the minced garlic and onion, sautéing for a few more minutes
- Add the annatto, green bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs, bouillon cube, and the minced pimenta dedo-de-moça
- Sauté all the filling ingredients together
- Adjust the salt as needed
- Add a small amount of water gradually, as necessary, to keep the filling moist and cook the meat through
- Spread half of the cassava mash into the bottom of a baking dish
- Cover the layer with the beef filling
- Arrange the slices of mozzarella over the beef
- Spread the requeijão cremoso over the cheese layer
- Cover with the remaining cassava mash
- Sprinkle the coarsely grated Parmesan cheese on top
- Scatter some chopped fresh herbs over the dish
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly
Observations
Escondidinho is a true comfort food classic in Brazil, perfect for family dinners or hosting friends. The foundation of smooth, rich cassava mash offers a perfect contrast to the well-seasoned meat filling, resulting in a combination that is simply irresistible. A final layer of cheese, baked until bubbly, adds the perfect finishing touch.
This recipe is a traditional take on the classic, focusing on authentic homemade flavors with straightforward instructions suitable for cooks of all levels. The mash is prepared with boiled cassava, whisked together with fresh cream and coconut milk for an incredibly velvety consistency. The meat filling is robustly seasoned with a hint of chili, and the layers are topped with various cheeses to ensure a perfectly golden, toasted finish.
This recipe is a traditional take on the classic, focusing on authentic homemade flavors with straightforward instructions suitable for cooks of all levels. The mash is prepared with boiled cassava, whisked together with fresh cream and coconut milk for an incredibly velvety consistency. The meat filling is robustly seasoned with a hint of chili, and the layers are topped with various cheeses to ensure a perfectly golden, toasted finish.
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