Paraguayan Mbeju Cheese Crisp with Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 cups cassava starch (tapioca starch)
• 6 oz fresh cheese or mozzarella, grated
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Mix the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, vinegar, and a pinch of salt for the salsa and leave it to sit while you make the mbeju.
2. Rub the softened butter into the cassava starch with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse, even crumbs with no buttery lumps left.
3. Add the cheese and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then work in the milk a tablespoon at a time.
4. Stop when the mixture holds together when squeezed but still falls apart into crumbs when released. It should never become a smooth dough; that crumbly state is what lets it fuse in the pan.
5. Push the mixture through a coarse sieve if it has clumped, so it goes into the pan as loose crumbs.
6. Heat a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat with no fat at all. Scatter the crumbs in an even layer about 1/2 inch deep and press them down firmly with a spatula.
7. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes without touching it, until the underside is golden and the whole thing has set into a single round that slides freely in the pan.
8. Flip it with a plate and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until crisp on both sides. Cut into wedges and serve hot with the salsa and fresh herbs.

Allergen note: Contains dairy.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.