Pandeyuca

Pandeyucas are airy, hollow balls of yuca or cassava starch, mixed with lots of cheese and baked in a very hot oven to puff up. They are sold in many bakeries, but only a few can make them really well. On the coast, they are sold in a miniature one-inch size, baked so close to one another that they stick together and form strands. Packed into small plastic bags, they are sold by the dozen in the cities. These tiny ones are sold completely baked to a dry and toasted chip-like consistency. In bakeries in the innermost parts of the country, they are baked into three-inch round large pandeyucas; these are sold soft on the outside but will harden after they cool completely. These great snacks are best when eaten right out of the oven. They should be light golden and very airy on the inside.