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Bolinho de aipim
Bolinho de aipim: Rio boteco balls of mashed cassava stuffed with cheese and fried
Order a round of chope in a Rio boteco and a plate of these usually follows: golf-ball-sized fritters of mashed aipim (cassava) with a molten cheese centre, crisp and craggy outside, soft and stretchy within. Places like the bars of Tijuca and Botafogo fill them with everything from dried beef to shrimp, but cheese is the classic veggie order. The cassava dough needs no egg or flour to bind it, so they are naturally gluten free. Use a mozzarella or Minas cheese made with microbial rennet to keep them vegetarian. They go wrong when the cassava is mashed while wet: the balls soften and split in the oil. Drain it very well and let the steam escape. Chef's tip: chill the shaped balls for 30 minutes before frying, so the cheese stays inside and the crust sets before the centre melts.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
For frying
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Boil 1 ¾ lb fresh or frozen cassava (aipim) in salted water with half the ¾ tsp salt over a medium-high heat for 20–25 minutes, until very soft and starting to fall apart.
22 minStep 2: Drain thoroughly, pull out the woody cores and leave in the colander for 5 minutes to steam dry.
5 minStep 3: Mash while hot with ⅔ oz butter, 2 spring onions and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt until completely smooth. Leave until cool enough to handle.
Step 4: Take a heaped tablespoon of dough, flatten it in your palm, put a cube of 5 ½ oz mozzarella or semi-cured Minas cheese in the middle and close the dough around it, rolling into a smooth ball. You should get about 24.
Step 5: Chill the balls on a tray for 30 minutes, until firm.
30 minStep 6: Heat 4 ¼ cups neutral oil for deep-frying in a deep pan to 350°F, or until a scrap of dough sizzles at once. Fry 6 balls at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over.
15 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with lime wedges or chilli sauce.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolinho de aipim take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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