The Brazilian Bolovo is a local version of the Scotch egg, but with some differences.
While the Scotch egg consists of a boiled egg wrapped in minced sausage and pork, then breaded and fried, the Brazilian bolovo can have variations in the meat (some recipes use beef or a mix of beef and pork or chicken), but it maintains the idea of an egg in the center, wrapped in meat, breaded and fried.
The Brazilian version tends to be simpler with minced meat and soy sauce, with other modern variations also including the addition of cheese or spices or herbs.
Even the egg in the filling can vary: it can be whole, chopped, or even in a smaller version, with quail eggs.
Some say the meat is incorporated only in the dough. For others, the inside of the boiled egg must be removed, mixed with the meat, and this mixture introduced into the egg itself, then breaded and fried.
The name “bolovo” became famous in Brazil after the comedy show “Hermes e Renato” made a Christmas special featuring a sketch on the “dangers of the Bolovo” in 2004 for MTV Brasil.
But already in the ’80s and ’90s in São Paulo, it was common to find it as one of the main salgadinhos served with beer
The recipe is dedicated to the Brazilian film “Ainda estou aqui” nominated for 3 Oscars 2025, including Best Foreign Film, Best Film, and Best Actress (Fernanda Torres) for Oscar Menu.
Fernanda Torres was the first Brazilian actress to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress.
The film is based on the 2015 memoir “I’m Still Here” by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, about the disappearance of his father Rubens Paiva, a desaparecido during the Brazilian military dictatorship.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying, Air frying
- Cuisine: Brazilian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 6 eggs (+ 1 for the breading)
- 500 g ground pork (or beef, or mix of pork and beef, or chicken)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 200 g cornmeal (or breadcrumbs)
- to taste vegetable oil
- to taste salt and pepper
Steps
Place the 6 eggs in a saucepan with cold water and bring to a boil.
Cook for about 8-10 minutes from when the water starts boiling. Then, cool the eggs under cold water and peel them.
In a bowl, mix the ground meat with the chopped onion, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
Knead well to combine the ingredients and add a tablespoon of flour to bind the mixture.
Take a portion of meat and flatten it with your hands. Wrap each boiled egg with the meat evenly. Try to seal the edges well, so that the egg is completely covered by the meat.
Beat the egg in a bowl and place the breadcrumbs on a plate.
Dip each bolovo first in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing the coating to adhere well.
Heat plenty of oil in a large pan or fryer. When the oil is hot (about 356°F), fry the bolovos for 3-4 minutes, or until golden and crispy on the outside.For air fryer: cook at 338°F for 25 minutes.
You can purchase the book “I’m Still Here” by Marcelo Rubens Paiva while waiting for the DVD release.
As seen in the video, you can use the air fryer and purchase the COSORI air fryer on the website with 15% off using my discount code: ViaggiandoMangiando15.
