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BRAZILIAN
APPETIZERS
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"TIRA GOSTOS"
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| Brazilians love their
appetizers! Appetizers can be eaten as snacks throughout the day
or before a meal. BOLINHOS DE BACALHAU (SALT COD FRITTERS) 1 lb. salt cod 2 cups of mashed potatoes 2 tbsp of finely chopped parsley 2 large eggs oil for frying Soak salt cod overnight and during the morning, changing water three times. Drain, remove skin and any bones and cut in small chunks. Next poach the cod: simmer a small onion, thinly sliced, with a bay leaf and 4 peppercorns in 2 cups of water. After 5 minutes, add the cod and 2 cups of water. When it simmers, cover the pan and remove from heat, so the cod doesn't toughen. You can keep the cod in this liquid in the refrigerator until ready to use it. To form the bolinhos: drain the fish and flake it well into a bowl. Add 2 cups of mashed potatoes, beat two eggs in with a pinch of salt and add them to the fish and potatoes. Some cooks like to separate the eggs, adding first the yolks, then the beaten whites. Add the parsley (and if you want, 1 small onion), salt and freshly grated pepper to taste. Wait about 1/2 hour to form the balls; they should be about 1 1/2 inches. Use good fresh oil for frying (set deep fryer temperature at 375F). Dry in paper towels. Serve with some very cold beer!
PÃO DE QUEIJO
(CHEESE ROLLS)
This is one of my favourite snacks which I remember fondly from childhood. This snack is great with a Brazilian coffee ("cafezinho") - so much so, that there are places, "Casa de P ão de Queijo", that serve just pã o de queijo and cafezinho! 2 lbs. of polvilho doce (tapioca starch) 4 cups of milk 1 cup oil 1 tsp salt 5 eggs 1 lb grated cheese (cheddar, white or yellow) Heat milk and oil and pour on the polvilho and let cool. Add other ingredients and knead the dough. Make small balls (about 1 tsp) and drop them onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F until golden (about 30 minutes).
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