Pamonha

Pamonha are corn cakes that are cooked and served in corn husks. This recipe is for savoury pamonha, but you can also make sweet pamonha by omitting the cheese, salt and pepper, and sweetening the corn with a little sugar.

• serves

  8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 8 corn cobs in husks
• 50 g butter, melted, plus extra to serve
• 1 tsp sea salt
• â…› tsp ground white pepper
• 100 g queijo fresco (see Note), coarsely grated

Instructions

Cut the bases off the corn cobs. Remove the husks, taking care not to rip them. Reserve the large inner husks for wrapping the corn cakes. Remove and discard the silk.

Coarsely grate the corn. (Alternatively, cut the corn kernels off the cobs and chop in short bursts in a food processor.) Drain off the excess juice through a fine mesh sieve. Combine the corn with the butter, sea salt and white pepper in a bowl. Stir in the cheese and set aside.

Soak the corn husks in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, or until softened and pliable. Drain and refresh the husks under cold running water, then pat dry using paper towel or a clean tea towel (dish towel). Trim the edges of the husks to form rectangles. Arrange four of the husks, slightly overlapping to form a large rectangle, to make the casing for the corn mixture. Repeat to make eight casings. Divide the filling among the casings, spooning it into the middle. Fold in the sides and ends to enclose the filling, and secure in both directions with kitchen string.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the parcels and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until set and heated through. Drain the corn cakes, then serve them hot or at room temperature, drizzled with melted butter.

Note

• Queijo fresco is a fresh cheese with a mild taste and a soft, creamy texture. It can be purchased from South American food stores. You can also use fresh mozzarella; buffalo mozzarella would be even better.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.