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Broa de Avintes or Boroa de Avintes (locally) is a type of
"The word broa is believed to originate either from the Suebian or Gothic brauth, meaning 'bread', or from Celtic roots such as bron or bara, though some scholars argue for a pre-Roman origin, as evidenced by similar terms like Spanish borona, Galician boroa, and Asturian borona."
This type of bread existed in Gallaecia at least since Suebian times. Prior to the addition of maize to the mixture, the main ingredients of broa were rye and malt. After maize was introduced in Europe from the Americas, "broa" became widely associated with "maize bread".
Broa has been produced in Avintes since the 13th century, when King Dinis of Portugal awarded the village with the exclusive right of production and supply to the population in Porto. However, the earliest record of the production of the Avintes variety only dates back to 1563.
Nowadays, the bread of Avintes is also produced outside its original parish with industrial source materials The old mills of Avintes no longer have economic relevance. However, for the sake of
broa
''Broa'' ( or ) is a type of maize or rye bread traditionally made in Portugal and Galicia. It exists in somewhat different versions in Portuguese speaking countries like Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique. The Portuguese ''broas'' are eit ...
from Avintes, Vila Nova de Gaia with a long tradition in the north of Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. It is a dark brown, very dense bread
Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...
made with maize
Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...
and rye flours, with a distinctive and intense bittersweet flavour.
History
"The word broa is believed to originate either from the Suebian or Gothic brauth, meaning 'bread', or from Celtic roots such as bron or bara, though some scholars argue for a pre-Roman origin, as evidenced by similar terms like Spanish borona, Galician boroa, and Asturian borona."
This type of bread existed in Gallaecia at least since Suebian times. Prior to the addition of maize to the mixture, the main ingredients of broa were rye and malt. After maize was introduced in Europe from the Americas, "broa" became widely associated with "maize bread".
Broa has been produced in Avintes since the 13th century, when King Dinis of Portugal awarded the village with the exclusive right of production and supply to the population in Porto. However, the earliest record of the production of the Avintes variety only dates back to 1563.
Nowadays, the bread of Avintes is also produced outside its original parish with industrial source materials The old mills of Avintes no longer have economic relevance. However, for the sake of tradition
A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...
, the people of Avintes have maintained its crafty production, which is well appreciated by consumers who increasingly seek genuinely traditional products. Since 1989, the parish of Avintes organizes a yearly celebration, Festa da Broa (Party of Broa) and since 1997 there has been a confraria (brotherhood) dedicated to it.
Production
It has a particularly slow manufacturing process: it is baked for about five to six hours in the oven. Once cooked, it is sprinkled with flour. The bread generally has the shape of a bell tower. It typically comes in two sizes: a large loaf shaped in a bowl weighing 8 to 9 kg with a diameter of 30 cm, and a small loaf shaped on a smaller dish (''escudela'') weighing 1 kg with a diameter of 10 cm. Connected to its production are many so-called "secrets" which, real or not, lay in the certitudes and knowledge gained from experience of many generations of Avintes' bakers as well as the judicious choice of materials used. There were also some superstitions related to its mixing and baking, involving prayers and blessings, as indeed in the rest of Portugal when making bread in the old fashioned ways. The "brôa" can also be served fried - for example, duringChristmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
as part of typical dishes in some of the northerners' homes. It is also used as the basis for multiple meal starters, for example with presunto ( cured ham) and with traditional Portuguese "caldo verde
''Caldo verde'' (, Portuguese language, Portuguese for "green broth") is a popular soup in Portuguese cuisine.
The basic traditional ingredients for ''caldo verde'' are Julienning, julienned collard greens or ''couve-galega'' (essentially a t ...
" or "green broth".
See also
*Broa
''Broa'' ( or ) is a type of maize or rye bread traditionally made in Portugal and Galicia. It exists in somewhat different versions in Portuguese speaking countries like Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique. The Portuguese ''broas'' are eit ...
* List of Portuguese dishes
References
{{Reflist Portuguese cuisine Maize dishes Vila Nova de Gaia