Just got back from Buenos Aires! I ate these little cheese buns constantly, usually, while sitting in one of their many sunny parks thinking of the rain in Vancouver:) They’re made with tapioca flour instead of wheat so they are gluten-free for anyone who needs a tasty bread substitute. You can use different cheeses to make these but usually they’re made with fresh Parmesan (reggiano). Originally, the recipe is from Peru. I’ll be creating an Argentinian feast (Parrilla) in summer at the supper club, so sign up to be a Swallow Tail member if you want to be invited.
Chipa Recipe
Ingredients:
- Parmesan 100grs – grate (fine)
- Manchego or gouda(or a med to soft cheese 150grs – grate (large setting)
- Manteca (butter) 50grs
- Huevo 4 ounces (2 eggs)
- Leche (milk) 5 Tbs
- Fécula de mandioca (tapioca flour) 250grs
- 1 Tbs baking powder
Directions:
Mix cheese and flour. Beat eggs, then add soft butter and eggs to dough, work with your hand. Work in liquids (check the video below to see the consistency). When your dough comes together into a ball and is moist like a cookie dough, it’s got enough liquid in it (add more milk if you need to). Roll by hand into 3 cm/1 ounce balls and put on cookie sheet. Bake till brown… They should come out chewy almost like Japanese rice flour desserts. They are best eaten hot, right away.
Oven – 390F for 20 mins (I usually test one to nail the perfect cooking time for the size you roll)
If you need a video to see the consistency of the dough etc. This one is really good, but in Spanish so you’ll have to use your eyes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Happy baking!
Chef Robin
These look delicious. I can’t wait to try baking them this week, thanks for the recipe!
I’ve made some improvements on the recipe… posting them now. Tell me how it goes if you test them out.
Cheers! Chef Robin
I love love love Chipa! Thanks for sharing. Eating these little nuggets of heaven were the best part of my trip to Corrientes.
I know! they are sooooo yummy:)
Really excited to try this out! My sister loves chipas but just got diagnosed with celiac disease so she can’t eat the version my boyfriend makes because it has wheat flour in it. Here’s hoping she likes them just as much!
They are so yummy and yes, gluten free is a bonus! Hope you enjoy them.
Can’t wait to try these out! They look absolutely delicious and the recipe doesn’t seem too difficult!
Tell me how it goes!
Hi, haven’t made your version yet, was just researching how to make the version I got from staying with an Argentinian chef at her Air BnB in Barcelona a few years ago. Every morning I’d wake up and we’d share these cheese buns with a black coffee on the terrace for breakfast. It was magical. Her version included all the ingredients of yours, but she used Edam instead. The major difference is that she would make the dough and leave it overnight. I don’t know if she added the milk before leaving it or if she added that the next day. Any ideas? Hers were the best I’ve ever tried and I think that extra fermentation step was crucial. What are your thoughts. Have you seen a recipe like this?
Hi Christina,
Interesting. Did she put any yeast in the dough? Then leaving it overnight would make sense. With cookie dough I like to leave it overnight as long as there is no baking powder/soda in the recipe. I would just make a batch and split it into 3 portions, bake one right away, leave one for an hour (for better hydration of the flour) and the other overnight to see which works best. My only concern would be that the baking soda would lose it’s rising power if you leave it overnight. Please tell me if you find it works better leaving it overnight:) Have fun.