Portuguese Corn Bread (Broa)
A crackled top with a soft yet dense centre, Portuguese corn bread (Broa) is perfect served with salted butter. These thin slices are made for dipping into soups or a soft-boiled 'dippy' egg.
Equipment
- 2 x Medium Bowls
- 1 x jug
- 1 x wooden spoon
- 1 x D-Scraper
- 1 x large baking tray
- A Tea Towel
Ingredients
- 400 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
- 200 g cornmeal flour
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 350 ml warm water
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the strong white flour with the corn meal flour. Stir in the yeast and salt.
- Immediately pour in the warm water and combine with a wooden spoon until you get a sticky dough.
- Dip your hands in the leftover flour and shape into a rough ball with your hands. Place in a clean bowl, sprinkle with a tiny bit of flour and leave to rise in a warm place, until double in size. About an hour but keep checking.
- Flour your surfaces by sprinkling some where you'll be kneading. Knock back your dough by punching it with your hands until it deflates. Tip it out onto the surface and create a rough ball shape again. Cut the dough in half with a d-scraper or knife. Shape into two smaller dough balls, about 15-20cm wide.
- Place the two dough balls onto an oiled tray and sprinkle with more flour. This will give the crackled effect. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove again in a warm place. About 30 minutes.
- Once doubled in size, bake in an oven at 200°c for 35 minutes or until hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool or serve warm.
Notes
Storage - Any leftover bread will keep for another day or two. Store in a cool, dry place and wrap in a tea towel or paper bag. You may want to refresh it the next day by warming it for a few minutes in an oven or toasting.
Re-heating - As said above, this bread is great for toasting. You can also refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes, if a bit stale.
Freezing - Yes you can freeze this broa bread. Wrap in foil or place in a freezer bag and it'll keep for 2-3 months.
You could always pre-slice and open freeze on a tray and then tip the slices into a freezer bag. That way you can take out one or two slices at a time without defrosting the whole loaf.
Nutrition
Calories: 1135kcalCarbohydrates: 219gProtein: 35gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 1181mgPotassium: 556mgFiber: 15gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 5mg
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