Bacon Farofa
This is a fundamental side dish that relies on the contrast between fatty bits of bacon and the nutty, sandy texture of toasted cassava flour. Mastering it is less about following a rigid recipe and more about understanding how the starch absorbs the fat.
The quality of your flour matters
Use coarse or medium-grind toasted cassava flour (farinha de mandioca torrada). Fine flour tends to turn gummy, while coarse flour stays distinct and sandy.
- Large heavy-bottomed skillet
- Wooden spoon
What goes in.
- 150gbacon, diced into small cubes
- 2 cupstoasted cassava flour
- 2 tbspunsalted butter
- 1/2yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tspsalt, or to taste
- 1/4 cupfresh parsley, chopped
Low and slow for the flour
Once you add the flour to the pan, keep it moving constantly. You are looking for a slight change in aroma to a toasted, nutty scent and a subtle darkening of the grains.
The method.
Render the bacon
Place the diced bacon in a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook until the fat has rendered out and the bacon pieces are crisp and brown.
Aromatize
Add the butter to the bacon fat. Once melted, toss in the onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent and beginning to pick up color from the bacon bits.
Toast the flour
Pour the cassava flour into the skillet. Stir vigorously to coat every grain in the fat. Lower the heat slightly.
Finish
Continue to toast for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat and fold in the fresh parsley just before serving.
Other turns to take.
Egg Farofa
Crack two eggs into the pan after the onions are soft and scramble them into the bacon fat before adding the flour.
Sweet and Savory
Add a handful of golden raisins or finely chopped fried banana slices once the flour is toasted.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the pan looks too dry after adding the flour, add another tablespoon of butter; farofa should be moist from fat, not dusty.
Never walk away from the stove while the flour is toasting, as it will burn instantly if left unattended.
The texture should be granular and loose, similar to wet sand.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use cornmeal instead of cassava flour?
It is not the same. Cornmeal will change the texture and flavor profile entirely, turning it into a different dish.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat it quickly in a dry pan to regain the crunch.