Escondidinho de Carne Seca

Method

1. Cut the carne seca into 5 cm pieces and rinse off the surface salt. Put it in a bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and leave it in the fridge for at least 12 h, changing the water 3 or 4 times; this draws out most of the salt. Taste a piece after cooking: if it is still very salty, simmer it in fresh water for another 10 minutes.

   Add in this stepCarne seca (salted dried beef) 200 g

2. Drain the beef, put it in a 18 cm pot and cover with fresh water by 3 cm. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim off the foam, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer with the lid half on for 55 min, topping up with hot water if needed, until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. Drain, let it cool a little, then shred it finely with two forks, discarding fat and gristle.

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. Meanwhile, peel the cassava: cut it into 5 cm chunks, slit the thick brown skin lengthways and peel it off together with the pinkish layer underneath. Put the chunks in a 20 cm pot, cover with cold water and add the salt for the water. Bring to the boil on high heat, then cook on medium heat for 25 min until a knife slides in with no resistance and the pieces start to crack open. Drain and pull out the woody string from the centre of each piece.

   Add in this stepCassava (fresh or frozen peeled) 400 gSalt ½ tsp

   high heat→medium heat

4. Return the hot cassava to the pot and mash it thoroughly with the butter, milk and the rest of the salt (a potato ricer gives the smoothest result). Stir over low heat for 3 min until the purée is smooth, glossy and thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. Work while it is hot: cassava turns gummy as it cools.

   Add in this stepButter 20 gMilk 80 mlSalt ½ tsp

   low heat

5. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat, add the finely chopped onion and garlic and cook for 4 min until soft and translucent. Add the chopped tomato and the shredded beef and cook, stirring, for 5 min until the tomato breaks down and the beef is moist but not wet. Season with pepper (taste before adding any salt: the beef is salty) and stir in the cheiro-verde.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspOnion 1Garlic cloves 2Tomato 1Black pepper to tasteCheiro-verde (chopped parsley and spring onion) 2 tbsp

   medium heat

6. Spread the beef filling evenly in a 18×13 cm ovenproof dish. Spoon the cassava purée over it and spread it right to the edges so the meat is completely hidden; that is where the name, "the little hidden one", comes from. Scatter the grated cheese over the top.

   Add in this stepQueijo coalho or mozzarella, grated 60 g

7. Bake in the oven (oven) preheated to 200 °C for 18 min, until the cheese has melted and turned golden in spots and the edges are bubbling. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving so it holds together when you spoon it out.

   oven