Casabe, also known as cassava, is unleavened bread (that is, it does not contain yeast) and is made solely and exclusively with cassava. Its shape is circular, thin in thickness and with a rigid and crunchy consistency. This particularity makes it a food that, if stored in a dry place, has a long durability due to its lack of moisture.
The origin of this peculiar bread goes back to the pre-Columbian indigenous tribes that cultivated cassava, one of their fundamental sources of food. The neutral flavor of cassava makes this flatbread the perfect accompaniment to fish and meat. It is also perfect for sweet preparations by adding sugar, coconut or some type of syrup.
Despite the fact that today its preparation is quite industrialized, making homemade cassava is quite simple, although it is necessary to take into account that, as it is a bread made with a grated product that is not mixed with any other ingredient that acts as a binder, we will need to use a frying pan with the appropriate diameter for the size of the loaves, to obtain a circular, thin and crispy cassava.
recipe information
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- Preparation time: 25 minutes
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- cooking time: 20 minutes
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- total time: 45 minutes (plus the resting time of the cassava pulp)
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- rations: 2, 8 units
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- Category: incoming
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- type of cuisine: venezuelan
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- Calories per serving (kcal):560
Cassava ingredients for 2 people
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- 1 cassava root
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- 1 pinch of fine salt
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- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
How to make cassava
The first thing we have to do is peel 1 cassava root. To do this, and with the help of a knife, we remove all the bark that covers it.
Once the yucca is peeled, we cut it in half and wash it to remove possible impurities or remains of the rind.
We open each half of the cassava longitudinally and remove the central core, which is much more fibrous. Then, with the help of a fine grater, grate all the cassava pieces and add 1 pinch of fine salt.
Place the grated cassava in the center of a clean cotton cloth and wrap it to press it until we can extract as much liquid as possible.
We open the cloth and remove the grated yucca, which will have a caked and dry consistency, spread it out on a tray and refrigerate it for 4 hours during which we will stir it every hour to make it as loose as possible.
After this time, we will obtain a slightly moist cassava without lumps, so we will have it ready to make the cassava.
Heat a 10 cm diameter frying pan with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and when it is hot, add enough grated cassava to cover the entire surface of the frying pan. To help the cassava be fine and not break, when adding the grated cassava to the pan, flatten it with a silicone spatula.
Cook the cassava on both sides over medium-high heat for 1 minute. To know that it is ready, we will try to fold it, if it offers resistance or breaks it is perfect, if it is doubled we will continue cooking it so that it loses as much moisture as possible.
We repeat the process until we finish with the cassava. Once the cassava is made, we keep it in an airtight container so that it stays crunchy for longer.
Easy preparation summary
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- Remove the skin of the cassava with a knife
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- Cut the cassava in half and wash it
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- Open the cassava lengthwise, remove the fibrous core and grate each piece with a fine grater.
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- Press the cassava with a cloth until extracting all the liquid possible
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- Spread the pressed yucca on a tray and refrigerate it for 4 hours. stir it every hour
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- After this process we will have the cassava ready to make the casabe
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- Grease a 10 cm diameter frying pan with oil and when it is hot add a portion of grated cassava and crush it
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- Cook the cassava on both sides for 1 minute or until golden brown.
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- Proceed in the same way with all the grated cassava and keep the cassava in a dry container.
