Broa de Milho da Beira Alta

Description: Bread made from yellow corn flour with salt and baker's yeast. It comes in two sizes: large, with a diameter of 12 to 15 cm and a weight of 800 g, and a small one, with a diameter of 10 to 12 cm and a weight of 400 g.

Region: Center.

Special feature: Bread with a circular and convex shape, with a toasted yellow crust, relatively crispy and quite cracked. It has a slightly sweet palate and a dry, porous, coarse, yellow-coloured inte-rior.

History: It is a regional product, typical of the area, whose genuine-ness can be confirmed by its shape, heavy appearance, cracked crust, flavor and texture. The origin of its production cannot be established exactly, as it is part of the traditional diet of the population. In this region, wheat is practically not cultivated, with corn being the cereal par excellence used in baking.

Use: As a food, especially of a regional nature, as it must be consumed before 48 hours after its manufacture.

Know-how: In the past, dough mixers were made up of wooden box-es with well-equipped joints to seal well. Mix the ingredients and knead with water until a more or less homogeneous dough is obtained. Cover the kneader with a blanket and leave to rise for a while. Balls tend to be baked in a wood oven. The oven door is hermetically sealed so that there is no heat loss, as its temperature must be around 270 °C. The cooking temperature has a lot of influence on the final appearance of the product.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001