Cinnamon Doughnuts/Bolinhos de Chuva

These cinnamon-sprinkled delights are a popular snack for Carnaval-goers with a sweet tooth.

2 large eggs 1.
1/2 c. plus 3 tbsp. sugar
pinch salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
¥ c. milk, warmed slightly to room temperature
vegetable shortening for deep frying
3 tbsp. cinnamon

1.In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1/2. sugar, and salt. Mix well. While stirring, slowly add flour,cornstarch, baking powder, and milk.

2. Pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a deep skillet or stockpot. Heat to 350˚F, or until a drop of water flicked into the pan jumps out.

3. Carefully drop several spoonfuls of batter into the oil. Each piece of batter will make a bite-sized doughnut. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, or until evenly browned on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove doughnuts from oil and drain on paper towels.
4. Combine cinnamon and remaining 3 tbsp. sugar in a small bowl. When cool enough to handle, roll each doughnut in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat and serve warm.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Makes about 2 dozen doughnuts

Codfish Bites/Bolinhos de Bacalhau

Like Christmas itself, these delicious holiday appetizers came to Brazil with the Portuguese, and
these appetizers remain a local favorite.

3/4 lb. boneless, skinned salt cod
fillets*
2 small new potatoes, washed and
peeled
1 small onion, minced
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 eggs, separated
1 to 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for deep-frying
malagueta pepper sauce (optional)

1. Place salt cod in a dish with enough water to cover. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight. If you have time, change water once or twice during soaking.

2. When fish is nearly done soaking, cut the potatoes into halves and place in a stockpot with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Meanwhile, drain cod, rinse well, and place in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until fish is tender. Remove from heat. When fish is cool, carefully remove the bones and skin.* Chop fish into roughly 1/2-inch pieces.

4. Mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher and place in a large mixing bowl. Add cod, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl and add to codfish mixture. Stir to combine. If mixture is runny, add 1 to 2 tbsp. flour and mix well.

5. In a small bowl, beat egg whites for about 5 or 6 minutes, or until stiff. Fold whites into codfish mixture. Cover mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. Form codfish mixture into small balls, about 1 to 1 1/2 in diameter. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep kettle or frying pan. Heat to 350˚F, or until a drop of water flicked into the pan jumps
out.
7. Use a slotted spoon to place 4 or 5 balls into the oil. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown all over. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve hot, with malagueta pepper sauce for dipping, if desired.

Preparation time: 1 hour
(plus overnight soaking time and 30 minutes refrigeration)
Cooking time: 1 hour
Makes 20 to 24 bolinhos

Black Bean Stew/Feijoada

This dish, served in honor of the Orixá Ogun during candomblé festivals, is also considered the
national dish of Brazil. Common side dishes include white rice and collard greens.

1 to 2 lb. assorted meats, such as
mild smoked pork sausage, pork
tenderloin, bacon, or carne seca
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled an minced
1/4 tsp. salt
2 16-oz. cans black beans
5 c. water
2 bay leaves
2 oranges, cut into wedges

1. If using carne seca or salted meats, place in a large dish, cover with cold water, and soak overnight.
2. Drain and rinse salted meats. Place all meats in a large kettle or stockpot with enough water to cover. Place over medium heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 to 1¥ hours or until meat is tender.Add water as needed to keep meat covered.
3. In a second large kettle or stockpot,heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, or until garlic begins to turn golden brown.
4. Add beans and mash slightly with a fork. Add 6 c. water and bring to a boil.
5. Add bay leaves and cooked meat. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes more. Serve feijoada hot. Garnish with orange wedges.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
(plus overnight soaking time for salted meat)
Cooking time: 1¥ to 2 hours
Serves 6

Turnovers/Pastéis

Street vendors in Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian cities serve hot, savory pastéis during Carnavaland other celebrations.This recipe is for chicken pastéis, which are among the most common in Brazil. However, beef and shrimp are also used, and delicious vegetarian pastéis are made with potatoes or even with sweet fillings such as fruit.

Filling:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts—rinsed and patted dry
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp. tomato paste
salt and black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
8 pitted green olives, chopped pinch cayenne pepper

Pastry:
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. vegetable shortening, softened
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1¥ c. water
Glaze:
1 egg
pinch salt

1. To prepare the filling, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add chicken breasts, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and just enough water to cover all. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until chicken is white all the way through. Remove chicken. Carefully pour remaining broth through a
strainer into another pan, and reserve.
3. Using a fork and knife or your fingers, shred chicken finely. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, flour, olives, cayenne, and 3 to 4 tbsp. of the reserved broth. The filling should be moist, but not runny.
4. To make pastry, place flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the middle of flour. In a second bowl, combine shortening, butter, salt, eggs, and 1 c. water. Pour this mixture into the hole in flour.
5. Use your hands to combine the ingredients, squeezing them into a paste. If dough is too stiff or hard, add a little more water. When dough has a smooth, slightly sticky texture, set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Form dough into balls about 1¥ inches in diameter. On a lightly floured countertop or other surface, roll the dough out into thin rounds 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Place about 1 tbsp. of filling into the center of each piece of dough. Fold dough over and press edges together firmly. Wet your fingers with some water to tightly seal pastry edges. Place on a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
7. To make glaze, beat egg yolk with salt in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to lightly glaze pastéis. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Preparation time: 45 to 50 minutes
(plus 30 minutes standing time)
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Makes about 45 pastéis

Cornstarch Cookies/Biscoitos de Maizena

Cornstarch gives these simple cookies a unique flavor, and they are longtime favorites with children and adults throughout Brazil.

2 c. cornstarch
1 c. sugar
1/4. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt.
3. Stir in egg and blend in softened butter.* You may find it easiest to use your hands to mix the dough at this point. Set dough aside for 15 minutes to make it easier to work with, and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
4. Form dough into very small balls, about æ inch in diameter. Place on cookie sheet and press down lightly with the tines of a fork.
5. Bake 12 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool slightly on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

*For an extra taste treat, stir in 2 oz. grated coconut when you add the butter.

Coffee Cake/Bolo de Café

As the largest coffee producer in the wor d, it’s no surprise that Brazil also creates sweet desserts
flavored with strong local coffee.

2 sticks of butter, softened
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. rice flour*
1 c. strong coffee, or ¥ c. instant
coffee powder mixed with 1 c.
water
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 tsp. cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease a 9
13-inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar and blend thoroughly.
3. Add egg yolks and beat well.
4. Add all-purpose flour, rice flour, coffee, and baking powder. Mix well.
5. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into cake batter.
6. Pour batter into baking pan and bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Sprinkle with coffee and cocoa powders and cut into squares to serve.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes

*Look for rice flour at Asian or Latin Serves 12 American markets. If you have trouble finding rice flour, you can substitute an equal amount of cornstarch for this ingredient.

Avocado Cream/Creme de Abacate

This unusual method for preparing avocados—one of Brazil’s most popular fruits for desserts—
makes a cool, refreshing treat.

2 medium avocados*
1/4. sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 to 4 tbsp. cold milk

1. Peel and pit avocados.

2. Place avocado, sugar, and lime juice in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add just enough milk to give mixture a creamy, puddinglike consistency.

3. Spoon mixture into six dessert dishes or sundae glasses. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour and serve cold.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
(plus 1 hour refrigeration)
Serves 6

*Look for avocados that are slightly soft but not mushy. If avocados are too hard to use, let them sit on a shelf or countertop for a few days until they soften.To peel and pit an avocado, carefully use a sharp knife to cut the avocado in half lengthwise, cutting around the pit. Gently twist the two halves apart and use your fingers or a spoon to remove and discard the pit. Use a spoon to scoop the avocado out of the peel.