Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread

Brazil is famous for its pão de queijo--cheese rolls with soft chewy centers. These traditional snacks and breakfast treats come from the state of Minas Gerias in southeastern Brazil. Although pão de queijo didn't become popular until the 1950s, they are said to have been around since the 18th century; the original version, however, did not include cheese or milk as those ingredients weren't available at that time. Pão de queijo is made with cassava flour (tapioca flour), the ground root of the manioc plant. Like many other Brazilian foods, this cheese bread originated with enslaved Africans, who would first soak and peel the cassava root before making the bread.

Pão de queijo smell wonderful when they are baking, and plump up into perfectly round balls. This recipe calls for regular farmer's cheese but if you can find the Brazilian cheese queijo minas in your local Brazilian market, your pão de queijo will be even more authentic. Otherwise, any firm, fresh cow's milk cheese will work well in this recipe.