Bolo do caco is a recipe very popular on the island of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal.
Bolo do caco is a typical bread of this island made from sweet potatoes, fresh yeast, water, and salt, resulting in a very soft and delicious bread that keeps for days.
This typical Portuguese bread is cooked in a pan and results in soft rolls with a slightly hard crust.
The softness is obviously obtained from the potatoes, which also give it a flavor with a slightly sweet background, but I assure you they are delicious whether you fill them with cold cuts, jams, Nutella, or as they do with a mixture of crushed garlic cloves and chopped parsley with butter.
It seems the idea of including potatoes in the dough was due to the lack of cereals on the island, and many years ago gave bakers the idea to compensate for certain shortages by including potatoes in many of their preparations.
The recipe originated from cooking on a heated basalt stone directly on the coals, called “caco,” which gives the bread its name.
In our traditional kitchen, we can cook this bread in a non-stick pan with a heavy bottom, covering it with a lid, for an excellent result.
Approx. 125 Kcal for each filled bolo do caco
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Portions: 33-35 pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients to make Bolo do caco
- 2.2 lbs All-purpose flour + extra for work surface
- 1.65 lbs Sweet potatoes (weight without skin)
- 0.88 oz Fresh yeast
- 2 tsp Salt
- 0.88 cups Water
- as needed Butter
- cloves Garlic
- as needed Salt
- as needed Chopped parsley
Tools
- 1 Pan Cast iron pan
Preparation of Bolo do caco
First, put the previously peeled, washed, and chopped potatoes to boil.
Once boiled, take the stand mixer and mash the potatoes directly into the bowl of the mixer, let cool a bit, and in the meantime, put warm water with the fresh yeast in a small bowl and dissolve.
Once the potatoes have cooled a bit, combine the water with the yeast to the potatoes, mix just long enough to incorporate the water into the potatoes, then add the required flour and salt, mixing for a few minutes until a well-mixed dough is obtained.
Transfer our dough into a large container for rising, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 2-3 hours.
Once risen, turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead to get a ball, from here cut out balls about 2.75 inches in diameter.
Heat a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan, once well heated, adjust the stove to a medium-low flame and cook the balls by flattening them into a not too thin pizza shape before putting them to cook.
Cook for a few minutes on both sides, keeping the pan covered with a lid.
Once cooked, you can enjoy them with a garlic butter sauce as is traditional.
