This sweet potato bread is a traditional recipe from Madeira. Bolo do Caco is a soft bread that usually is served with a garlicky butter as entrée for any meal.
You can find Bolo do Caco in almost any corner of Madeira island. It is commonly served as a company for espetadas — which is a kind of barbecue.
As you may know — if you’ve followed my blog — I lived a few months in Madeira while I was waiting for my resident documents. In that time I couldn’t work and I was quite bored at home. So that is when I started cooking more seriously … and now I have a food blog.
So I found Madeira’s food exotic for me and wanted to replicate everything I tasted like my all time favorite Gambas á Diablo (Deviled Prawns).
Bolo do caco is a bread made with white sweet potatoes that have a slightly sweet taste. It is cooked in a hot metal plate that gives its characteristic “burned” look. I use my infallible cast iron pan to cook one bolo do caco at the time. The result is the same.
But this sweet potato bread is not served by itself. It usually comes with butter and garlic that is added while it’s still hot.
I hope you like this delicious traditional Madeiran recipe. I see you in the next one!
Bolo do Caco (Sweet Potato Bread)
Ingredients
- 300 gr sweet potato
- 1 kg of all-purpose flour
- 10 gr yeast
- 250 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
Garlic butter
- 3 garlic minced
- 4 tbsp melted salted butter
- 1 tbsp coriander chopped
Instructions
- Wrap the sweet potatoes (with the skin) in foil and bake them in the oven for 30 minutes at 180ºC (350ºF) or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
- Pour the yeast and the salt into the water and let it sit for 10 minutes at least.
- Take the sweet potato out of the oven and let it chill. When it’s completely cold, take the inner part of the potatoes out and smash them into a puree.
- Take a big bowl (or you can use a table that is cleaned) and pour the flour forming a mountain with a small hole on top like a volcano.
- Pour the water and the mashed sweet potatoes in the center of the flour and knead until you get a homogeneous dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes until the dough doubles in size. Cut into 5 pieces and let it rest another 30 minutes.
- On a stove, heat a cast iron pan over medium heat until the pan is hot. Take one of the dough pieces and form a disc. Cook it in the pan for 10 minutes each side until the bolo do caco is ready.
- For the Garlic Butter: Mix the butter, the coriander, and the garlic.
- Cut the bolo do caco in half lengthwise and spread with the butter. Serve while it is warm, and enjoy!
I’m Maria and I love cooking—and mostly EATING—food from all around the world. I’ve been sharing my abuela’s secret Latin-American recipes for the last 7 years with the world on this blog. I’ve been a full-time food blogger for many years and I’m always trying new delicious meals that don’t require a culinary degree or a Michelin-star chef. I also love traveling, cats, and knitting.
Tasty! After a trip to Portugal I hosted a themed dinner party and this was a great dish to add. Thank you for the detailed description!