Cassava Escondidinho with Ground Beef
Comfort food Brazilian-style: a creamy cassava purée hiding a hearty, flavour-packed ground beef filling. Smoky bacon, calabresa sausage and ripe tomatoes melt together into a filling that is pure comfort in every spoonful. This escondidinho is the kind of generous, fuss-free dish that brings everyone running to the table.
🛒 Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 kg cassava (yuca/manioc)
- 1 tbsp butter (or margarine)
- 150 ml milk
- 500 g ground beef
- 1 calabresa sausage (or smoked sausage)
- 100 g bacon
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 can (400 g) tomato sauce
- Salt, to taste
- Garlic, to taste
- A drizzle of oil for cooking
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Directions
- 1
Peel the cassava, cut it into chunks and cook it in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt for 20 to 30 minutes, until very tender.
- 2
Drain, remove the fibrous string from the centre, then mash the warm cassava into a smooth purée.
- 3
Return the purée to a pan with the butter and milk and stir over low heat until silky and evenly smooth. Set aside.
- 4
In a frying pan, brown the ground beef in a drizzle of oil, breaking it up with a spoon.
- 5
Add the bacon and the diced calabresa sausage and let them brown for a few minutes.
- 6
Stir in the finely chopped onion and bell pepper and cook until softened.
- 7
Finally add the chopped tomato and the tomato sauce, mix well and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and garlic to taste.
- 8
In a baking dish, spread half of the cassava purée in an even layer.
- 9
Cover with the beef mixture, then finish with the remaining purée, smoothing the top.
- 10
Serve straight away while piping hot.
💡 Chef's Tip
For a golden, cheesy twist, scatter grated cheese on top and bake for 15 minutes at 200 °C (400 °F). You can also assemble the dish ahead of time and gently reheat it. No fresh cassava on hand? Frozen cassava purée works beautifully.
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