Pao de queijo or cheese bread is typical throughout South America, with some interesting regional variations that define its distinctiveness. The key element, however, is that it is prepared with naturally gluten free flours.
In many cases it is fried rather than baked, but it is always extremely rich and tasty, so much so that it can be eaten not only with other foods, but also on its own as a snack.
It is also extremely easy to prepare, so it can be a solution when we do not have the time to prepare a leavened bread. Another bread idea if you do not have time for leavening is this Yoghurt flat bread.
Pao de queijo
37.95g carbohydrates per 100g
Ingredients
- 300g milk
- 265g quinoa flour*
- 150g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 130g rice oil
- 80g wholemeal rice flour*
- 60g rice starch*
- 2 eggs
- 5g salt
*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)
Preparation
- Put the milk, oil and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, remove the pan from the heat and add all the starch and flours to the liquids, stirring with a wooden spoon: the mixture will be firm leaving the saucepan sides clean.
- Let the mixture cool, then add one egg at a time and finally the grated Parmesan cheese. Finish mixing the ingredients well by placing the dough on a cutting board and, when it is perfectly homogeneous, form into small loaves about 4 cm in diameter. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a static oven preheated to 180°C for about 30 minutes.
- Cheese bread can be eaten warm or cold.
Cheese bread ready for a snack
Version with gluten of Pao de queijo
The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.
