Arepas
Griddled corn cakes with a crackly crust and a soft centre, split open and stuffed with melting cheese.
Photo : Pintoandres90 · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Pour the warm water into a bowl with the salt, then rain in the cornmeal while stirring with your other hand.
- Add the oil and knead for 2 minutes to a supple dough that no longer sticks. Rest for 5 minutes while the flour drinks the water.
- If the dough cracks when you press it, wet your hands and knead again; it should smooth out without effort.
- Divide into eight and shape discs about 1 cm thick, smoothing the edges between your palms.
- Heat a slick of oil in a heavy pan and cook the arepas over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes a side, until freckled with a crust and hollow-sounding.
- Split them through the thickness with a knife and tuck a knob of butter and a good handful of cheese inside.
- Return them to the hot pan for a minute to melt the cheese and serve at once.
Only precooked cornmeal will do: ordinary polenta or corn flour hydrates differently and the dough will fall apart. In Colombia arepas are eaten at any hour, from breakfast to a late supper.
