This Brazilian Christmas side dish combines apple, bacon and toasted cassava flour. Cook the bacon first, soften the apple briefly, then toast the flour in the same pan. Serve it alongside the meal rather than using it to stuff an uncooked bird.
About 6 side-dish portions. Allow approximately 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 250 g toasted Brazilian cassava flour suitable for farofa
- 150 g diced bacon
- 1 large apple, about 180 g after coring, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 1 small onion, about 100 g, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice. Measure the remaining ingredients before cooking. Use a wide frying pan with enough room to stir the flour.
- Put the bacon into the cold frying pan and set over a medium heat. Stir until the fat renders and the bacon is cooked and browned. Lift it out with a slotted spoon. If there is plenty of fat, leave only about 1 tbsp in the pan.
- Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic for about 30 seconds, without allowing it to burn. Add the apple and its lemon juice and cook for another 3–4 minutes: the cubes should soften slightly but retain their shape.
- Melt the butter into the mixture. Reduce the heat and add all 250 g of flour gradually, stirring to distribute the fat. Toast for approximately 4–6 minutes until the crumbs are loose and lightly crisp. Watch the colour and smell: already-toasted flour burns over a high heat.
- Return the bacon to the pan and stir through. Turn off the heat, add the parsley and taste before adding salt, as the bacon is already salty. Season with pepper and serve.
Choosing the flour and texture
Use granular toasted Brazilian cassava flour, not tapioca starch: they are not interchangeable here. Apple releases moisture, so this recipe will not be as dry as a farofa made only with flour and butter. Keep the pan uncovered while cooking. If there is liquid in it before adding the flour, let some of it evaporate.
Variations that keep the same base
You can add 40 g raisins with the apple. To omit the bacon, cook the onion in 1 tbsp olive oil and retain the stated butter; the flavour will be different. In either case, keep the same amount of flour and check the seasoning at the end.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge at 0–5°C and eat within 48 hours. Cool cooked food promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours, using shallow containers where needed. Mixing leftovers with new ingredients does not restart their storage time. Also follow any shorter use-by instructions on the packaging.
Storage guidance: Food Standards Agency.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make it the day before?
Yes, provided it is cooled and refrigerated correctly. The apple softens the flour as it stands. Reheat only the portion you will serve, stirring until steaming hot throughout; it may be less crisp.
Is farofa made with bread?
This version uses cassava flour, bacon and apple. It does not contain brioche, eggs or sweet spread and is not deep-fried.
