How to Make Cassava Pie
Cassava Pie is a unique to Bermuda dish traditionally eaten on Holidays. It consists of Grated Cassava baked into a savory sweet cake usually with chicken in the middle. I promise once you try this you won’t stop eating!
Cassava pie is definitely Bermudas national treasure. There is no real history as to how this dish was conceived, however it is a reminder of Bermuda’s history as it is popular among the Black Bermudian population with cassava being of African and West Indian origin.
We eat Cassava during Christmas and Easter and sometimes during our Emancipation Holiday in the Summer. It goes best with Chow Chow or Piccalilli which is a mustard based pickled spread. I paired the Cassava with the Essential Waitrose Sweet Piccalilli which is a great balance of tang to the pie’s sweet flavor.
How Cassava Pie is Made
Slightly labor intensive but fairly straight forward to make, Cassava Pie is very similar to making a pound cake. Eggs, Butter, Sugar, Vanilla, Nutmeg and Salt are used to make the pie with the addtion of Chicken and or Stock for flavor.
Grated cassava is strained and mixed like a cake then layered with chicken and flavored with broth. Once baked it becomes a delicious sweet and savory pie with a texture of a really moist cake or pudding.
There are also 2 ways to eat this: First is usually with boiled seasoned chicken in the middle layer and Second, for those who don’t eat chicken there is the plain version using vegetable stock which is still just as good.
What Chicken to Use
The Chicken layer is made from boiled chicken thighs seasoned with herbs, onions and vegetable or chicken stock. The chicken is then broken into pieces and the broth saved for flavoring the cassava.
Chicken thighs or drumsticks are the best cuts to use because of the fat content and softer flesh. They also produce the most flavor.
Where to Buy Cassava
Grated cassava can be found in any East Asian supermarket as it is popular in Filipino cuisine. I was able to find 1lb bags for £1.19 at my local Asian supermarket. You will need 5 bags in total for this recipe and this will feed at least 10 people. Also online shops which sell Filipino food products will definitely sell grated cassava.
Here are links to a few shops in the UK:
If you cannot find already grated cassava or having difficulty with the online shops and you live in a fairly diverse area, check your local West Indian or African grocer or market for fresh cassava root. These can be easily peeled and grated in a food processor, but it is a lot more work.
What Size Pan to use
The Deeper the pan the better. This dish consists of a lot of butter and has the potential to bubble over. Using a pan of 3.5 inch (9cm) to 4inch (10cm) deep is recommended. I used a 9×11 inch with 3.5 inch deep base (23cm x 28cm x 9cm) for this recipe.
If you want to make smaller pies instead of one big pan, I recommend using deep loaf pans. They work just as fine and it is easier to gift or store for later.
Tips and Tricks for Making Cassava Pie
- Make sure you strain the grated cassava well. Use a cheesecloth or thin tea towel to get most of the moisture out. The cassava needs to resemble ricotta cheese (the best explanation I could find).
- The Chicken or broth you use needs to be room temperature or cold before layering with the cassava batter or you will have a hot soggy mess.
- Because the pie is layered with chicken and/or broth it is best to leave a bit of room at the top to prevent the spill over of oil.
- Oil may still spill over creating a smokey oven. Try to prevent this by using a pan double the size of the cassava pan and filing it with a bit of water. Place it on a rack underneath or the base of the oven to catch any oil.
How to Store
This dish will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days to 1 week in wax paper and foil or an air tight container. Also to note, cassava is amazing in that once its cooked it can be frozen for months. wrap it securely in wax paper and cling film and a strong freezer bag and your all set.
Recommendations
Hey! Here are a few other Bermudian dishes to try:
- A Quick Guide to Bermuda Codfish Breakfast
- How to Make the Ultimate Bermuda Fish Sandwich
- Bermuda Johnny cakes: The Best Quick Bermuda Breakfast Bread
- Bermuda peas n’ rice
Drop a comment blow and let me know what you think. If you decide to make any of my recipes leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram @myeagereats or hashtag #myeatereats .
I’d Love to hear from you!
AuthorsefordCategoryBermudian dishes, dinner ideas, Holiday MenuDifficultyIntermediateCassava Pie is a sweet but savory dish unique to Bermuda cuisine. Made from grated Cassava, sugar, eggs, chicken and broth and baked into a cake like dish.
To Start, Place cassava inside a strainer with a cheesecloth or thin tea towel. Squeeze as much liquid out as possible until the cassava resembles a wet crumbly dough. Rest aside for later.
In a medium or large pot, place cleaned chicken thighs along with fresh thyme, 1 onion halved and 2 or 3 vegetable stock cubes (you can use stock or chicken cubes). Fill the pot with just enough water to cover the chicken and place on medium heat.
Cook for 15 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through. Taste the broth and season with salt if needed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
When the chicken has reached room temperature, separate from the broth and break into pieces with your hands or a fork. If the chicken has bones and skin, discard these.
Keep the chicken pieces separate from the broth and place both to the side for later.
Using a stand or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs. Once the eggs have mixed in with the creamed butter and sugar, add the salt, vanilla and nutmeg. Continue to beat until all is mixed well.
Next, use your hands to sift the cassava into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly to check for any stalks or lumps. Once the cassava is incorporated prepare it for layering.
First, Preheat your oven to 325F/162C.
Take a deep 9x11 or 9x13 pan and grease it well with vegetable shortening or lard (never use butter. It burns).
Second, pour in a layer of cassava batter at least 1- 1 1/2 inch thick. Take the chicken pieces and spread them over the first layer of cassava.
Spoon a 1/2 cup of broth over the chicken then add the remaining cassava to the pan.
Thirdly, Take a fork or a knife and make patterns over the top by pressing down onto the batter. Spoon more broth over the top. Make sure to pour enough liquid to absorb but do not make it soupy.
Finally, bake for 1 and a half hours ( depending on the size of your pan) or until the middle is firm or knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Cassava Pie goes well with chow chow mustard or Piccalilli.
Ingredients
Directions
To Start, Place cassava inside a strainer with a cheesecloth or thin tea towel. Squeeze as much liquid out as possible until the cassava resembles a wet crumbly dough. Rest aside for later.
In a medium or large pot, place cleaned chicken thighs along with fresh thyme, 1 onion halved and 2 or 3 vegetable stock cubes (you can use stock or chicken cubes). Fill the pot with just enough water to cover the chicken and place on medium heat.
Cook for 15 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through. Taste the broth and season with salt if needed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
When the chicken has reached room temperature, separate from the broth and break into pieces with your hands or a fork. If the chicken has bones and skin, discard these.
Keep the chicken pieces separate from the broth and place both to the side for later.
Using a stand or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs. Once the eggs have mixed in with the creamed butter and sugar, add the salt, vanilla and nutmeg. Continue to beat until all is mixed well.
Next, use your hands to sift the cassava into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly to check for any stalks or lumps. Once the cassava is incorporated prepare it for layering.
First, Preheat your oven to 325F/162C.
Take a deep 9x11 or 9x13 pan and grease it well with vegetable shortening or lard (never use butter. It burns).
Second, pour in a layer of cassava batter at least 1- 1 1/2 inch thick. Take the chicken pieces and spread them over the first layer of cassava.
Spoon a 1/2 cup of broth over the chicken then add the remaining cassava to the pan.
Thirdly, Take a fork or a knife and make patterns over the top by pressing down onto the batter. Spoon more broth over the top. Make sure to pour enough liquid to absorb but do not make it soupy.
Finally, bake for 1 and a half hours ( depending on the size of your pan) or until the middle is firm or knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Cassava Pie goes well with chow chow mustard or Piccalilli.
Hi! I made this recipe using fresh cassava root, grated, as I couldn’t find the frozen. The chicken tasted amazing. The cassava part was very sweet- is this how it is supposed to be? Also my version didn’t look appetizing like yours, it was a greyish colour. I wondered if you know why this might be? Lots of really helpful for the recipe, all the notes were great and it was fun trying something completely new! Thanks!
Hiya! so happy you tried my dish and something new!! Not sure of the grey colour.I squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. It came out tasting good which is more important.It is sweet yes! but of course you can reduce the sugar to your own preference next time.