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pão

Pão is the Portuguese word for bread, a staple food made by baking dough composed primarily of flour, water, salt, and a leavening agent such as yeast or a natural starter. The dough is mixed, allowed to ferment, shaped, and baked, producing a range of textures from light and airy to dense and chewy. Depending on the flour used and the method of fermentation, bread can be leavened with commercial yeast or sourdough cultures and can be produced as loaves, rolls, or flatbreads.

Origin and etymology: The term pão derives from the Latin panis and is cognate with similar words

Varieties: In both Portugal and Brazil, common forms include pão francês, a long, crusty loaf similar to

Use and culture: Bread is a daily staple, served at meals with butter, cheese, or accompaniments such

Nutritional aspects: Wheat breads supply carbohydrates and varying amounts of protein and fiber depending on flour

in
other
Romance
languages.
In
Portuguese,
the
word
carries
a
nasalized
vowel
and
an
acute
accent,
as
in
pão.
a
baguette;
pão
de
forma,
a
rectangular
sandwich
loaf;
and
pão
caseiro,
a
home-baked
rustic
bread.
Whole-wheat
breads
(pão
integral),
rye
or
corn
breads,
and
sweet
breads
(pão
doce)
are
also
widespread.
Brazilian
pão
de
queijo,
while
widely
eaten,
is
a
cheese
bread
made
with
tapioca
starch.
as
soups
and
stews.
It
also
appears
in
various
regional
recipes
and
as
a
vehicle
for
sauces
and
fillings,
in
both
urban
and
rural
Lusophone
contexts.
type.
Whole-grain
varieties
offer
more
fiber;
gluten
is
present
in
most
traditional
breads
unless
made
with
alternative
flours.