Broa de milho: Portuguese maize bread

Minho and Trás-os-Montes, Portugal

The traditional yeasted cornbread of northern Portugal — dense, slightly sour, with a thick, darkened crust and a moist, tight crumb. Broa (from the Latin brace — fermented grain) uses maize flour (farinha de milho) combined with rye or wheat flour, warm water, and a natural leavening. It was the daily bread of the peasants of Minho and Trás-os-Montes from the 17th century when maize arrived in Portugal from Brazil. Broa is indissociable from caldo verde (which is always served with it), bacalhau preparations (the crumbled broa crust for bacalhau com broa), and acorda. Its dense, tight crumb absorbs soups without disintegrating — a critical functional property.

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