Chipa Guasu

Ingredients

• 6 fresh corn cobs, or 900 g frozen sweetcorn kernels
• 250 g queso Paraguay or firm salty fresh cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 large onion
• 100 g butter
• 200 ml whole milk
• 1.5 tsp fine salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp butter, for the dish

Before you cook

• Strip the kernels from the corn cobs with a knife, or thaw the frozen corn completely
• Finely chop the onion
• Crumble or grate the cheese
• Grease a 30 by 20 cm baking dish with butter

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Melt the 100 g of butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
3. Cook the onion in the butter for 10 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
4. Take the pan off the heat and let the onion and butter cool for 5 minutes.
5. Blend two thirds of the corn kernels with the milk to a coarse, still-textured purée.
6. Tip the purée into a large bowl and stir in the remaining whole kernels.
7. Beat the eggs and stir them through the corn mixture.
8. Add the cooled onion with all its butter, the crumbled cheese, salt and pepper.
9. Mix well and taste; the batter should be distinctly salty because the corn is sweet.
10. Pour the mixture into the greased dish and level the top.
11. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and set and a skewer comes out clean.
12. Rest the chipa guasu for 15 minutes in its dish, then cut it into thick squares and serve warm.