Broa

Description: Bread made with corn and rye flour, in variable proportions, according to the region, but which oscillate between 2/3 of corn for 1/3 of rye and 1/2 of corn for 1/2 of rye. Bread is lighter or darker depending on the percentages of flour. It is a slightly acidic bread with a moisture content of about 40%. It has a rounded shape and weighs between 1 and 4 kg.

Region: North.

Other denominations: Corn Bread. Cornbread.

Special feature: Corn and rye bread, baked in a wood oven.

Use: In some regions it is still the main food for lunch and snacks.

Know-how: The maize used is usually white and round (regional maize) which, like rye, is ground in a water-powered mill. In milling, it is important to control the rotation of the mill, the flow of water and the fall of the grain, so that the flour does not heat up and a wellground flour is obtained. This is followed by sifting, using sieves of different meshes for each flour (the mesh for corn is wider). Next, the yeast is prepared, which consists of adding a small amount of corn and rye flour to the dough, which has been left over from the previous batch, kneading by hand and letting it rise for 1 hour. To this yeast are added the flours and enough water to knead (this water should be about 30 °C). After hand kneading, a cross is made over the dough and allowed to rise. During this time, the oven was heated, using heather wood, considered the best, and stirring the embers for better heat distribution. When the oven walls turn white from the heat and the dough is leavened, sweep the oven with a broom or boxwood broom, leaving the coals at the oven door until the door closes. Once the dough balls are made, they are placed in the oven and the door is covered, sealing it well (traditionally this was done with beef manure). The cooking time varies from 1 h 30 min to 2 h. The bread is broken by hand so as not to crumble.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001