A baked snack from the Peruvian Amazon made with yucca starch, vegetable shortening, and egg, scented with anise and a touch of aguardiente. The outside stays firm and pale; the inside turns dry and delicate, crumbly enough to melt on the bite. Traditional, straightforward, and full of jungle identity.
Mix the yucca starch, sugar, anise seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Break up any lumps by hand: the dough should start fine and loose, with no dry little rocks hiding inside.
Add the vegetable shortening and rub it into the starch for 3 to 4 minutes, until it looks like even, damp sand. This short rubbing step is what later makes the ñuto dry, delicate, and crumbly.
Add the eggs and aguardiente gradually. Knead only until you get a soft, compact, workable dough; if it feels dry, work it for one more minute before adding any extra liquid.
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Shape the dough into thin logs and cut them into small bites, about 1 cm thick. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving a little space between each piece.
Bake at 160°C for 18 to 22 minutes, until the ñutos are firm, pale, and dry on the outside. Do not look for deep browning: if they toast too much, they lose their delicate character.
Transfer them to a rack and let them cool for 15 minutes before eating. They should be dry, firm, and fragile, with a crumb that melts as soon as you bite.
