Goiabada is a Portuguese dessert made from guava, a type of fruit similar to a pomegranate, along with sugar and water. This dish has traditionally been cooked in an iron kettle over an open fire, though today it might be made on a stove top. It is sometimes referred to as guava cheese, guava paste, or pasta de guayaba. It is commonly served in Portugal and Brazil as well as other South American countries. It is also found in the United States, Caribbean islands, and Central America.
This dessert can be very thick, similar to a very moist cake. Other times, it can be soft and spreadable, much like a marmalade or jelly. The length of time goiabada is cooked is the determining factor as to the consistency of this dessert since the basic recipe normally does not change.
Earlier methods of cooking goiabada involved placing guava fruit into a large iron cauldron along with large amounts of sugar and water. It can also be made in a large kettle on top of a stove. There are a number of food processing facilities that manufacture this dessert as well.
In Brazil, goiabada is often eaten in conjunction with a traditional type of cheese known as Minos. This combination is often referred to as Romeo and Juliet. In Portugal, this dish is often used as a filling for cakes. It can also be spread on toast or served in empanadas, a type of stuffed pastry.
Goiabada is known by several different names. The one used can largely depend on where a person is at the time. This dessert is often referred to as guava paste or guava cheese in the U.S. and the Caribbean. It might be called pasta de guayaba in Central and South America.
This dessert can often be purchased in supermarkets or ethnic food stores in many English-speaking countries, including the US. It is normally found in the Hispanic food section of these retailers. It often comes in small round cans that are around 21 ounces (.59 kg) each.
Goiabada can be an easy dish to prepare, provided the fruit is readily available. It can be a very sweet confection that can have a multitude of different uses. A person looking for a versatile dessert that is nonetheless simple to make might want to consider pasta de guayaba, particularly if he is serving a main course that contains a Latin American dish.