Tapioca With a Twist

Image courtesy of Marcos Florentino.

When Marcos Florentino isn’t capturing vibrant editorials for magazines as one half of the photography duo MAR+VIN, he can be found in the kitchen, cooking up recipes passed down from his family. One of his fondest? Home-made, fried tapioca twists—a staple in Brazil. Florentino reminisces on how this simple, savory recipe reminds him of his childhood: It’s a dish that his mother often made him for breakfast, he tells Family Style. As he puts it, “It’s more than just a dish, it’s a memory of love, warmth, and togetherness.”

‍

Ingredients

• 2 ⅛ cups tapioca starch (goma)
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• Oil

Instructions

1. Bring the milk to a boil and set it aside. In a large bowl, mix the tapioca starch and salt.
2. Pour the boiled milk over the starch and stir.
3. Gradually add the eggs, mixing continuously until the dough is smooth and consistent. Knead well until it becomes homogeneous and easy to mold.
4. Take small portions of the dough and shape them as you like: ropes or rings. 
5. Heat oil in a pan, then turn off the heat. Add the twists to the hot oil while the heat is off to prevent them from becoming greasy or splattering.
6. Turn the heat back on and fry the twists until they turn golden. Remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.
7. Serve while warm and enjoy!