How To Make Arepas in 3 simple steps - Arepa Recipe

Hello Venezuelan Foodies! Before we start let´s give you a brief story about the famous Venezuelan Arepas!

Arepas (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈɾepas]), our glorious cornmeal patties, have their roots traced to the Amerindian indigenous that inhabited the northern Andes of Venezuela. This flat, round, unleavened patty was first made through a labor-intensive method until the 1960´s when the well-known Polar company introduced the still most popular pre-cooked maize flour brand, Harina P.A.N*. From this day on, arepas have been a crucial part of the Venezuelan diet, eaten in every home, almost accompanying every meal a day and sold in multiple fast-food restaurants across Venezuela called "areperas".

*Harina P.A.N. is a great food: easily digested, contains no additives or bleaching agents and is 100% gluten-free.

Now with that brief intro the arepas recipe!

Total Time: 25 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 3 servings (5-6 arepas)
Level: Super Easy

Ingredients:

2 cups of Harina Pan pre-cooked maize flour
2 cups of warm water
1/2 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Directions:

Step 1 -- In a large bowl place the 2 cups of water, the 1/2 tablespoon of salt and the tablespoon of vegetable oil. Slowly add the 2 cups of Harina Pan while mixing and kneading it together. The perfect dough should feel moist but not soggy and with enough consistency to be able to mold.

Step 2 -- Once you have the correct dough consistency, grab a fistful and roll it into a ball. Hold it in one hand and apply pressure with the other hand until it is approximately 3/4 inch thick and 5-7 inches across. Nail the perfect frisbee shape by making pressure around the edges.

Step 3 -- Pre-heat a pan to medium heat, rub enough vegetable oil on the surface and add the frisbee shaped pre-cooked maize flour patties. Flip after 5-7 minutes. Both sides of the arepa should have a crunchy brownish color.

Serve withbutter, the cheese of your choice (queso fresco recommended), black beans, ham, scrambled eggs, avocado, chicken or anything your creative mind feels best. Remember you can eat it at any time of the day. The trick is slicing it through the middle like a bread bun, but not going all the way, and then filling each arepa with you preferred filling combination. Eat it like a sandwich or hamburger.

TIP: If any dough is left, put it in a closed container and place in fridge. It will keep for two to three days.

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