Brazilian Cuisine
Tapioca with Cheese and Tomatoes
Tapioca with Cheese and Tomatoes is an iconic Brazilian street food dish and a highly popular option for a quick breakfast. The base is a unique flatbread made from hydrated tapioca starch, which magically binds into a single cohesive crepe when heated on a dry pan without any flour or oil. The warm flatbread is filled with mild semi-hard cheese that melts beautifully from the residual heat, and juicy slices of fresh tomatoes that bring a pleasant tang. Fresh basil leaves and a pinch of oregano finish this light, gluten-free snack that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Dishday
Recipe overview
- Total time
- 15 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cooking
- 10 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Brazilian Cuisine
Nutrition
per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Step by step
Method
- 01
Slice the ripe tomatoes into thin, neat rounds and grate the…
Slice the ripe tomatoes into thin, neat rounds and grate the semi-hard cheese on a coarse grater. Slicing the tomatoes thinly ensures they warm through without releasing too much liquid inside the crepe.
- 02
Heat a dry non-stick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat
Heat a dry non-stick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat. Do not add any oil or butter; the surface must remain completely dry.
- 03
Sift about 60 grams of the hydrated tapioca through a sieve d…
Sift about 60 grams of the hydrated tapioca through a sieve directly onto the hot pan, forming an even circular crepe about 3-4 mm thick. Smooth out the surface gently using the back of a spoon.
- 04
Cook the flatbread over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes
Cook the flatbread over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes. You will notice the individual starch granules melting together into a solid layer, and the edges of the crepe will start to curl up slightly.
- 05
Arrange a quarter of the grated cheese on one half of the fla…
Arrange a quarter of the grated cheese on one half of the flatbread, then top with a couple of tomato slices, basil leaves, a pinch of oregano, and salt. The cheese will begin to melt almost instantly.
- 06
Using a spatula, carefully fold the flatbread in half, coveri…
Using a spatula, carefully fold the flatbread in half, covering the filling with the free side to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges down gently with the spatula to seal them with the melting cheese.
- 07
Warm the folded tapioca for another 30 seconds on each side u…
Warm the folded tapioca for another 30 seconds on each side until the cheese is completely gooey and the flatbread develops a light, crispy outer crust. Transfer to a plate and repeat for the remaining portions.
Dishday
Useful advice
Cooking tip
This recipe requires specifically ready-to-use hydrated tapioca (goma de mandioca hidratada). If you have regular dry tapioca starch, you must spray it with water and rub it with your hands until it reaches the texture of wet sand.
How to serve
Serve the tapioca immediately while the crepe retains its pleasant crunch and the cheese inside remains liquid and stretchy. It pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of strong black coffee.
How to store
This dish cannot be stored. Once cooled, the flatbread loses its unique texture and becomes rubbery, so it must be cooked strictly right before consumption.
Note
The frying pan must be completely dry and feature a good non-stick coating, otherwise the starch will instantly stick to the surface.
