Pão de queijo

With the discovery of mines near Ouro Preto in around 1700, some 20% of the Brazilian population at that time, mainly slaves, occupied a vast territory in southeast Brazil. Since wheat was not available, local cooks created a kind of bread from starch derived from the cassava tubers shown to them by Tupiniquins indigenous groups. In the late 19th century, grated hard cheese was added. ==Main ingredients==

bottle. The half-bitten over the saucer shows the inside. In Brazil the most traditional recipe uses both sweet and sour cassava flour, oil, eggs, milk, salt, cheese (Minas, Canastra, Parmesan), and water. Small amounts of margarine or butter can also be included. The fat in the recipe acts as a molecular lubricant. The egg gives colour and flavour to the recipe, contributing to the elastic texture of the dough. The type of cheese varies according to preference or availability. The most used are mozzarella, parmesan, and minas or canastra cheese (either in its "ripened" or "standard" version). The cheese gives the typical flavor of the cheese bread, hence its name. There is also the boiled cheese bread with a preparation technique that requires boiling water while preparing, sometimes mixed with vegetable oil in flour. The boiled cheese bread has the closest taste of natural flavor, as in the boiling process the dough is pre-cooked. Some recipes use potato. ==Preparation==

are formed into small balls, around in diameter (though they may be larger) and about 50 calories in each roll. The cassava flour is a powerful starch which is key to the texture of the ; unlike other types of bread, is not leavened. Small pockets of air within the dough expand during baking and are contained by the elasticity of the starch paste. Because it is made of cassava flour (as opposed to wheat flour), contains no gluten. Varieties of stuffed with , hot and melted , and other variations can be found in Brazil. ==Availability and variations==

Brazil , in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil In Brazil, is a popular breakfast dish and snack. It continues to be widely sold at snack bars and bakeries, and it can also be bought frozen to bake at home. In Brazil, cheese puff mix packages are easily found in most supermarkets. Wider South America , , , and pan de queso are similar to and can be found in northern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay. Japan / East Asia arrived in Japan with the dekasegi. Often compared to mochi, it is usually made with rice flour instead of the cassava (tapioca) starch. It also inspired the popular donut chain Mister Donut in its creation of Pon de Ring, which has since popularized the concept of mochi donut. Anglosphere '''' is also commercially available in Australia and the United States, in part due to its popularity in the gluten-free movement. ==See also==