Bolo Levedos

Whats better than a nice toasted English muffin for breakfast?  I'll tell you what is....a Portuguese Muffin!  These slightly sweet little griddle cakes are heaven.  Certain restaurants even use these as their buns for burgers and sandwiches...and if you haven't tried that, you haven't lived.  I am lucky enough to live in what we call "Little Portugal".  Fall River is almost 80% Portuguese, so there are many tiny little shops and markets that I am able to snag all the delicious goodies that I enjoy when I'm in the Azores.  For those of you  who can't do that, here is a recipe for those Portuguese muffins :)

Bolo Levedos

1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

6 cups all-purpose flour-You may need more depending on the humdity that day and how your yeast rises.

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter, cooled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1  cup milk

**My secret ingredient-Vanilla extract.  Leave this out if you want to use these for sandwiches, it will make them a little too sweet**

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of the sugar. Set aside to ferment, about 10 minutes.

2. Transfer the yeast mixture to a large bowl, and stir in the sugar, eggs, salt, flour, and milk until the dough comes together. Stir in the melted butter, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. You can also use your mixer or bread machine to do the kneading for you!

3. Cover dough with a cloth and set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or longer.  The weather really plays with you on the rising!

4. Divide dough into about 15 to 20 pieces, and shape them into flat round cakes about 1/2 inch thick. Place a cloth on the table and dust it with flour. Arrange the cakes on the cloth, allowing space for rising. Allow them to set for 1 1/2 hours or longer.  Once you see they are the right size and have gotten bigger they are ready.  Once again, that weather!

5. Place the cakes in a heavy ungreased skillet, and cook over low heat. Fry the cakes on each side until golden.

6.  If the cakes start to burn but are still a little too undercooked for your liking, throw them onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy these with butter, jam or my favorite-cream cheese ( I know that sounds weird, but don't knock it until you try it)

*******EDIT*******

Added recipe card for easy printing for your at home cooking needs :)

Omeleta com Salsa

Omeleta com Salsa

 Italians have their basil, Latins have their cilantro and Portuguese have their parsley/salsa. Not even sure if this breakfast is a Portuguese thing or just my mom's thing. She loves making omelettes with tons of parsley. Now I make it my home.


Here are your simple ingredients: 4 tablespoons of course chopped Parsley c, 4 eggs (good for 2 people), evoo, salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle evoo to coat the pan. Beat eggs and mix in chopped parsley and s+p. Pour into pan on medium heat. We like our omelettes well done.

Pequeno-almoço simples e clássico em minha casa!

Enjoy my foodie friends! 

Fatias Douradas

When I was a kid these were a special treat that we got maybe 4 times a year.  They were the best!  My job was the cinnamon and sugar at the end.  I felt like such a helper :)  These are part of what I would consider my comfort food.  They are so easy and taste amazing.

Fatias Douradas

1 loaf of day old bread, sliced into 1-2 inch pieces (we used french because it's a good heavy bread that will hold the batter well)
2 cups of milk
10 eggs, whisked
1 Cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
Vegetable Oil

all your ingredients ready to go!

Take the oil and fill a dutch oven with about 3-4 inches of oil.  Keep the oil nice and heat.  You can test to see if the oil is ready by putting a little bit of flour in and seeing if it starts to fry.
While the oil heats combine your sugar and cinnamon together in a deep plate (I use pie plates).  Place the beaten eggs in another one, and then the milk in another.  Set up the station to make it as easy as possible for you.

Here is our stations all set up

My cooking assistant tonight...he makes my apron look good :)

Once the oil is ready dip your bread in the milk on both sides, let it drip an excess off, then go to the eggs  and drench the slices in that.  let the excess drip off of it again.  

Then CAREFULLY place it into the oil.  Let it get nice and lightly golden brown on both side.  

Remove from oil and place into the cinnamon and sugar mixture and cover all sides.  

Place on platter that is covered with paper towels to catch any left over oil.

Hope you make them and enjoy them!

Queijo Fresco

Portuguese Homemade White Cheese

Ingredients:

• 12 cups/3 quarts of Whole Milk

• 1 Teaspoon Salt

• 1 Teaspoon of Rennet of 2 tablets

• Round forms

• 
  

Fill a 3 quart pot or larger with 12 cups of whole milk. Set flame on low. You do not want this to boil. You only want the milk to get to a lukewarm temperature. The way I was taught to test is old school. Stick your clean fingers in to see if it's getting warm. 

Add 1 teaspoon of rennet or your tablets to your milk before it gets warm and mix slowly once. Also add 1 teaspoon of salt. 

These are the forms we use. Made from pvc pipes w tiny holes drilled into them. They are 4 inches in diameter. I like to use the smaller ones which are 2.5 inches high. It's quicker to drain water from the cheese. 

Once you have tested the milk and it's lukewarm. Take it off the heat!

The milk will begin to solidify and you will start to see water come to sides of pot. 

I make a cross with a knife in the center to let more water come up to surface. 

Let sit for 5 minutes. 

Next bring your pot next to sink and spoon out as much water as possible.

Now with a steel mesh skimmer or large spoon is fine, spoon out cheese over a mesh strainer that's over a large bowl to catch the water. 

Not everyone does this extra step. If you like your cheese more wet, skip this step. It's up to you. 

Now set the forms on a flat dish near the sink. Spoon out cheese from the strainer into the forms. I press a piece of paper towel onto the water coming out the bottom of forms and let it hang over the sink to make a sort of drain. 

Also put a paper towel on top of cheese. 

Water will continue to seep out of holes. From time to time strain the water with a tablespoon. Let sit for at least 12 hours. You should have fresh cheese by the next morning for breakfast. 

Spread on bread and enjoy with café or chá. 

Hope you try to make fresh cheese yourself at home. It's very simple :)