Name: Escondidinho (Brazilian Cassava Beef Bake)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 200 g Carne Seca, desalted, cooked, and shredded; 350 g Cassava, peeled and cut into chunks; ½ cup Brown Onion, finely sliced; 3 clove Garlic, minced; ½ cup Tomato, chopped; 1 tbsp Butter, for mash; ¼ cup Whole Milk, warm, adjust as needed; ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil, for sautéing; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped; to taste Salt, use carefully because carne seca is salty; ¼ tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground

Escondidinho (Brazilian Cassava Beef Bake)

1 hr 20 mintotal

1 hr hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 25 min · Cook 35 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Boil cassava in salted water until very tender. Remove any tough center fibers, then drain well.
Mash the cassava with butter and warm milk until creamy but still thick. Adjust salt only after tasting.
Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic, and cook until soft and lightly golden.
Add tomato and cook until it softens. Stir in shredded carne seca and black pepper.
Cook for 5–6 minutes so the beef filling becomes juicy but not watery. Finish with coriander leaves.
5–6 min
Spread the beef filling in a small baking dish. Cover with cassava mash and top with grated mozzarella.
Bake at 200°C for 15–18 minutes, until hot and lightly golden on top.
15–18 min

How to tell it's done

The top should be lightly golden, the cassava layer creamy and thick, and the beef filling moist but not soupy.

Getting it right

Tip

A thick cassava mash holds the layers better than a loose puree.

What to serve it with

Serve with a green salad or simple sautéed greens to balance the rich bake.

Substitutions

If carne seca is unavailable, use cooked shredded beef, but season it more deeply because it will lack the preserved-beef flavor.
Cassava gives the classic texture; potato can work as a practical substitute but changes the dish identity.
Carne seca can be very salty, so always taste before adding extra salt.

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Ingredients