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Romeu e Julieta
Romeu e Julieta: slices of guava paste paired with fresh Minas cheese
Two ingredients, no cooking, and a name every Brazilian knows: Romeo is the dark red goiabada, Juliet the mild white queijo Minas frescal, and they are always eaten together. Mineiros serve it after lunch on a saucer, at the end of a feast in a roadside restaurant, or as a mid-afternoon snack with coffee; the sweet, dense guava and the cool, milky, lightly salty cheese balance each other perfectly. Variations melt the guava into a warm sauce over the cheese, or bake both inside a pastry. Queijo Minas frescal is often made with animal rennet, so pick one labelled vegetarian, or use a young vegetarian farmer's cheese or paneer-style fresh cheese. The usual fault is cutting the guava thicker than the cheese, which buries Juliet; keep both slices the same size. Chef's tip: take the cheese out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead so it tastes of fresh milk rather than cold rubber.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz goiabada (guava paste)from Latin shops
- 7 oz queijo Minas frescal (fresh white cheese)choose microbial rennet, or a vegetarian fresh cheese
For a warm sauce (optional)
- 3 tbsp water (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Take 7 oz queijo Minas frescal (fresh white cheese) out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving. Pat it dry and cut it into slices about 1 cm thick.
Step 2: Cut 7 oz goiabada (guava paste) into slices of the same size and thickness, dipping the knife in hot water between cuts so it slides cleanly.
Step 3: Stack or lay each slice of guava next to a slice of cheese on small plates and serve.
Step 4: For a warm version, melt half the guava with 3 tbsp water in a small pan over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it is a thick syrup, and spoon it over the cheese.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does romeu e Julieta take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
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