Cassava Shepherd's Pie with Dried Beef (Escondidinho)
A deeply comforting Brazilian bake: a silky cassava purée hiding a savoury heart of slow-simmered dried beef and sweet onion, all topped with golden melted cheese. Simple, generous and irresistibly rich, it's the perfect family dinner for when you crave something warm.
🛒 Ingredients
5 servings
- 1 kg fresh cassava (yuca)
- 1.5 kg dried salted beef (carne de sol)
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 200 ml whole milk
- 1 small onion
- 100 g grated cheese
- Oil for cooking
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Directions
- 1
The day before, soak the dried beef in plenty of cold water, changing the water two or three times.
- 2
Drain the beef, boil it for 30 minutes, then shred it into small pieces.
- 3
Peel the cassava, cut it into chunks and boil in salted water until very tender.
- 4
Heat a splash of oil in a pan, add the shredded beef, stir in the finely chopped onion and fry until golden.
- 5
Blend the milk with the drained cassava, margarine, half the grated cheese and salt until you get a smooth, creamy purée.
- 6
Spread the golden beef over the bottom of a baking dish, then cover it evenly with the cassava purée.
- 7
Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top.
- 8
Bake at 200 °C (400 °F) for 15 to 20 minutes, until the surface is nicely browned and gratinated.
💡 Chef's Tip
Soaking is the make-or-break step: always taste the beef before cooking, because an overly salty piece can ruin the whole dish. For a more local twist, swap it for salt beef or shredded confit. Cassava works beautifully with potato if you want a milder purée.
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