Throughout the world, people eat bread as a quick and easy staple food. It doesn't always come in the form of a loaf made of wheat flour, however. In Turkey, Greece and the countries of the Levant, for instance, people often eat flat pita breads while in Central America and Mexico, no meal is served without tortillas as accompaniment. The Caribbean's favorite is cassava bread, which is often referred to as 'pan de casabe'.
Cassava is a plant that is native to the region of the Caribbean. It's found in parts of South America too. It has many uses but the main one is to use its root as a source of food. The root is long and thin and covered in a brown skin that has a rough texture but the inside is a yellowy or white flesh that is very nutritious.
When the first European explorers came to the Caribbean, they found that people all over the region and as far away as Central and South America were eating 'pan de casabe' as a staple food. They took this foodstuff with them to the Iberian Peninsula and from there it spread across the world along with other New World foods like potatoes, tomatoes and corn. Today the root is a staple in regions like West Africa too.
Many people enjoy 'pan de casabe' in its simplest form, with only a bit of olive oil and salt. Others add toppings of avocado or eggs or make more substantial dishes by topping the flatbreads with beans and vegetables. It makes a great snack to enjoy with dips and broken in pieces, it adds bulk to salads and soups. You can even create a lovely fusion dish by using it as a quick and easy pizza base.
Like most starches, the root is a great source of energy-giving carbohydrates. It's a healthy choice too because it contains only small amounts of fat and sodium. At the same time it's rich in Vitamin C as well as the minerals calcium and phosphorus.
Making 'pan de casabe' requires that you first process the flesh. Start by peeling the root and then grating the flesh to a pulp. The next step is to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the pulp as you can. This is a very important step because the liquid is poisonous.
If you prefer, you may now add salt to the pulp but it's not really a requirement. Use a mold to shape thin, flat patties or form them by hand. Fry them in a hot pan but don't add oil. They're ready when they have a golden appearance. As they cool, they will harden and get a crispy texture.
The best place to find 'pan de casabe' is to travel to the Caribbean, for instance to the Dominican Republic, and enjoy it at the source. If you want the taste of the Caribbean at home, though, you can try buying either the roots or the ready-made cassava bread at stores that specialize in Caribbean cuisine. Dominican or Jamaican restaurants are likely to serve it as a side dish too and may be willing to sell it to you to go.
Cassava is a plant that is native to the region of the Caribbean. It's found in parts of South America too. It has many uses but the main one is to use its root as a source of food. The root is long and thin and covered in a brown skin that has a rough texture but the inside is a yellowy or white flesh that is very nutritious.
When the first European explorers came to the Caribbean, they found that people all over the region and as far away as Central and South America were eating 'pan de casabe' as a staple food. They took this foodstuff with them to the Iberian Peninsula and from there it spread across the world along with other New World foods like potatoes, tomatoes and corn. Today the root is a staple in regions like West Africa too.
Many people enjoy 'pan de casabe' in its simplest form, with only a bit of olive oil and salt. Others add toppings of avocado or eggs or make more substantial dishes by topping the flatbreads with beans and vegetables. It makes a great snack to enjoy with dips and broken in pieces, it adds bulk to salads and soups. You can even create a lovely fusion dish by using it as a quick and easy pizza base.
Like most starches, the root is a great source of energy-giving carbohydrates. It's a healthy choice too because it contains only small amounts of fat and sodium. At the same time it's rich in Vitamin C as well as the minerals calcium and phosphorus.
Making 'pan de casabe' requires that you first process the flesh. Start by peeling the root and then grating the flesh to a pulp. The next step is to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the pulp as you can. This is a very important step because the liquid is poisonous.
If you prefer, you may now add salt to the pulp but it's not really a requirement. Use a mold to shape thin, flat patties or form them by hand. Fry them in a hot pan but don't add oil. They're ready when they have a golden appearance. As they cool, they will harden and get a crispy texture.
The best place to find 'pan de casabe' is to travel to the Caribbean, for instance to the Dominican Republic, and enjoy it at the source. If you want the taste of the Caribbean at home, though, you can try buying either the roots or the ready-made cassava bread at stores that specialize in Caribbean cuisine. Dominican or Jamaican restaurants are likely to serve it as a side dish too and may be willing to sell it to you to go.
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