Escabeche with olives, with chicken, carrots and spices Spanish chicken escabeche with olives Glacé cherry and chocolate soufflé served Glacé Cherry & Chocolate Soufflé Freshly baked Broa Portuguese cornbread Broa Raisin and vanilla focaccia served Raisin & vanilla focaccia Cinnamon & Honey Traybake Pie served Cinnamon & honey traybake pie Fresh, tasty Mojo de tomate tomato sauce Tomato mojo sauce Classic Smörgåstårta decorated with eggs, ham and vegetables Classic smörgåstårta Stromboli with smoked cheese served, rich smoked cheese on top, crispy outside and soft inside. Smoked Cheese and Mozzarella Stromboli Vegan burger with vegan cheese and fresh vegetables Ultimate vegan 'beef' burger BBQ grilled barbecue tofu wrap served Sticky BBQ grilled tofu wraps Pastel Tutup served with mushrooms and glass noodles, sprinkled with sesame seeds Mushroom & glass noodle pastel tutup Melomakarona biscuits filled with Nutella, soaked in honey syrup Nutella-stuffed melomakarona Chawanmushi with mirin, steamed egg dish with prawn and mushroom pieces Chawanmushi with mirin (Japanese steamed egg custard) Okonomiyaki with tofu, evenly fried, served with fresh cabbage and tofu pieces Tofu okonomiyaki Chicken mushroom burger with grilled chicken and sautéed mushrooms Chicken & Mushroom Burger Psarosoupa sprinkled with parsley, rich fish soup served with fresh olive oil and lemon juice Parsley psarosoupa Sheep's cheese gnocchi served Sheep's Cheese (Pecorino) Gnocchi Seitan burger with fresh vegetables Seitan burger Beef stew served with ewe's cheese dumplings and sour cream Hungarian beef stew with ewe's cheese dumplings (Pörkölt) Chili con carne served with rice and tortilla chips Classic Chili con Carne Escabeche with olives, with chicken, carrots and spices Spanish chicken escabeche with olives Glacé cherry and chocolate soufflé served Glacé Cherry & Chocolate Soufflé Freshly baked Broa Portuguese cornbread Broa Raisin and vanilla focaccia served Raisin & vanilla focaccia Cinnamon & Honey Traybake Pie served Cinnamon & honey traybake pie Fresh, tasty Mojo de tomate tomato sauce Tomato mojo sauce Classic Smörgåstårta decorated with eggs, ham and vegetables Classic smörgåstårta Stromboli with smoked cheese served, rich smoked cheese on top, crispy outside and soft inside. Smoked Cheese and Mozzarella Stromboli Vegan burger with vegan cheese and fresh vegetables Ultimate vegan 'beef' burger BBQ grilled barbecue tofu wrap served Sticky BBQ grilled tofu wraps Pastel Tutup served with mushrooms and glass noodles, sprinkled with sesame seeds Mushroom & glass noodle pastel tutup Melomakarona biscuits filled with Nutella, soaked in honey syrup Nutella-stuffed melomakarona Chawanmushi with mirin, steamed egg dish with prawn and mushroom pieces Chawanmushi with mirin (Japanese steamed egg custard) Okonomiyaki with tofu, evenly fried, served with fresh cabbage and tofu pieces Tofu okonomiyaki Chicken mushroom burger with grilled chicken and sautéed mushrooms Chicken & Mushroom Burger Psarosoupa sprinkled with parsley, rich fish soup served with fresh olive oil and lemon juice Parsley psarosoupa Sheep's cheese gnocchi served Sheep's Cheese (Pecorino) Gnocchi Seitan burger with fresh vegetables Seitan burger Beef stew served with ewe's cheese dumplings and sour cream Hungarian beef stew with ewe's cheese dumplings (Pörkölt) Chili con carne served with rice and tortilla chips Classic Chili con Carne
Freshly baked Broa Portuguese cornbread
Dense and hearty Portuguese cornbread with a crunchy, rustic crust

Broa

Author: Flavelo
Recipes
Broa is not your usual soft white bread. It is a rustic, dense, heavy bread with a crusty exterior that brings the taste of Portuguese rural life. The sweetness of cornmeal and the sourness of sourdough (or yeast) give it a distinctive flavour. Traditionally the corn is scalded with hot water, but this version presents an easier-to-handle home method.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 40 mins
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 340 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Portuguese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large proving bowl
  • Baking parchment
  • Baking tray

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten

Instructions

1 ✓

Activate the yeast in the lukewarm water with the sugar. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

Tip: Yeast fungi need warm (but not hot!) water and food (sugar) to wake up.
2 ✓

Mix both flours and the salt in a bowl. Pour in the yeasty water and the oil.

Tip: Cornmeal provides the flavour, whilst the gluten content of the wheat flour provides the structure so the bread doesn't crumble apart.
3 ✓

Knead the dough for approx. 10 minutes. This will be a heavy, sticky dough; don't expect a smooth surface like a brioche.

Tip: Kneading develops the gluten network in the wheat flour. [Structure building]
4 ✓

Cover and prove in a warm place for 1.5 hours until visibly grown.

Tip: Due to the weight of the cornmeal, rising might be slower than usual.
5 ✓

With floured hands, shape into a round loaf and place on the tray. Dust the top with flour and let prove for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C.

Tip: The flour on top gives a rustic look after baking.
6 ✓

Bake for 35-40 minutes. It is ready when the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Tip: Place a bowl of water in the bottom of the oven: the steam helps the crust become crispy rather than chewy.
7 ✓

Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Tip: If you cut it hot, the steam stays inside and the crumb may remain gummy (sticky).

Recipe FAQ

Why did the top crack?
This is Broa's trademark! Rustic cracks indicate the crust baked hard while the inside was still expanding.
Why is the dough sticky?
Like rye flour, cornmeal has no gluten to hold it together. Don't add too much flour; rather shape it with wet hands.

Ingredients

  • 250 g Fine cornmeal (Maize flour)
  • 250 g Strong white bread flour
  • 7 g Dried yeast
  • 10 g Sugar
  • 5 g Salt
  • 300 ml Lukewarm water
  • 30 ml Olive oil