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Dairy
Medium
2 Hours
Diets 
It is well known that Basques (who were experienced sea farers) were among the early Spanish who traveled and settled in the Americas in the late fifteenth century. Facing the difficulty of maintaining their Spanish diet, they had to adapt to indigenous food, including bread made with corn. While they did not much appreciate the potato, they soon became accustomed to the sweet potato, which they called boniato or batata.
Back in northern Spain, due to climatic conditions, wheat was difficult to grow and so corn became part of the staple diet. Corn is used make talos (flatbreads) and, of course, pan de maíz (corn bread). Despite having almost disappeared in the last decades, corn bread has become fashionable again. This recipe can also be made with pumpkin.
Makes 1-kilogram/2 and 1/4-pound loaf
25 x 15 x 6-centimeter/9 x 6 x 5-and-1/2-inch baking tin/pan, greased with butter and dusted with a thin layer of flour
250 grams/9 ounces sweet potato, peeled and sliced into rounds
250 grams/9 ounces courgettes/zucchini, partly peeled with a little skin left on
350 milliliters/1 and 1/2 cups full-fat/whole milk
1 tablespoon salted butter
30 grams/2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour/cornstarch, such as Gefen, dissolved in water to make a paste
2 tablespoons double/heavy cream
200 grams/7 ounces yellow maize flour (precooked)
3 large/US extra-large eggs, separated, plus an extra egg, for glazing
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/160 degrees Celsius fan/350 degrees Fahrenheit/Gas 4.
Place the sweet potato in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for five minutes. Add the courgettes/zucchini and continue to cook until both the sweet potato and courgettes are tender. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve/strainer, reserving 80 milliliters/1/3 cup of the cooking water. Using a silicone spatula, press out as much moisture from the vegetables in the sieve as possible, then transfer the thick sweet potato purée to a clean muslin/cheesecloth and wring out any excess moisture. Transfer the sweet potato purée to a bowl and set aside.
Put the milk, butter, sugar and cornflour/cornstarch in a large saucepan. Gently warm while stirring to combine. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sweet potato purée, cream and reserved cooking water. Slowly add the maize flour, then add the egg yolks, one by one, mixing well.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold into the sweet potato mixture. Scrape this mixture into the prepared baking tin/pan and lightly brush the top with the beaten egg.
Bake the corn bread in the preheated oven for one hour, or possibly less. It is best eaten warm. It will keep for up to four days when stored in an airtight container, and can be reheated to serve.
From La Cocina Vasca: Recipes & Traditions of the Spanish Basque Country by Mariá José Sevilla; photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small 2025
Published by Ryland Peters & Small
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