Broa de milho is the bread of rural Portugal: a dense, crusty corn loaf with a slightly sweet, nutty crumb, born in the northern villages where corn and rye grew better than wheat. If you have read my bacalhau com broa recipe, this is the very bread that crowns it.
Unlike American cornbread, broa is yeast-leavened and properly kneaded — closer in spirit to a hearty European sourdough than to a quick bread. The scalded cornmeal is the traditional trick that keeps the crumb moist under that magnificent crust.
It is the natural partner of caldo verde, hearty stews, sardines and strong cheese — or simply warm with butter, the way every Portuguese village has always eaten it.
Broa de Milho Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus about 2 hours rising) · Cook time: 40 minutes · Total: about 3 hours · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~199 per serving
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1½ cups rye flour or all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the cornmeal and salt, pour the boiling water over, and stir quickly into a thick paste. Cool to room temperature.
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let it froth, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the cooled cornmeal paste, then work in the rye or all-purpose flour until a soft dough forms.
- Knead on a floured surface 8 to 10 minutes — slightly sticky is correct.
- Rise in a greased, covered bowl in a warm place 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled.
- Punch down, shape into a round loaf, and place on a parchment-lined sheet or floured proofing basket.
- Rise 30 to 45 minutes more. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a dish of water on the bottom rack for steam.
- Bake on the middle rack 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and hollow-sounding.
- Cool fully on a wire rack before slicing — broa rewards patience.
Recipe Notes
- Rye flour gives the authentic northern flavor; all-purpose makes a lighter loaf.
- The steam bath is the secret to the thick, crackly crust broa is famous for.
- Day-old broa is the foundation of açordas and migas — in Portugal, stale broa is an ingredient, never a problem.
