Colombian Arepas or Arepas Colombianas

March 25, 2019 SouthAmerica

Arepas are staple food in Colombia that is commonly served for breakfast, but also may accompany lunch or dinner. Think of an arepa as cornbread meets the pancake. It is typically made from ground corn that is bake, a type of cornmeal. The arepas are pan fried 3 to 5 inch diameter flat disks. For breakfast they are served with slices of fresh cheese, or queso fresco, or a fried egg. One typically has this classic meal with a cup of tinto, Colombian brewed cafe. Arepas are very simple, but technique in preparation really matters. Supermarkets in Bogota sell pre-made arepas in the refrigerated food section, one must just fry them up. Arepas made from pure scratch will take whole corn and grind the meal. In the U.S. at Latin foods markets one can purchase “masa arepa” or pre-cooked corn meal, such the brand by P.A.N.

Ingredients

1 ½ cup Masa arepa

1 ¼ cup water

½ cup of grated mozzarella or fresh cheese

¼ vegetable oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation (makes four 5-inch diameter arepas)

Mix all of the ingredients together into a dough that can be hand-kneaded. You want to be conservative with the water, slowly adding to get the consistency correct, which does take practice. Once mixed thoroughly let it set for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into four even portions, and roll each one into a ball. On a cutting board or counter-top hand press the dough balls into disc shaped pucks. If the dough is too wet it will stick to the surface. If it is overly dry the edges of the disc will split. They can be molded back together again instead of attempting to add more water.

To cook, use a non-stick frying pan on the stove-top with low-medium heat. Melt a touch of butter on the pan to further prevent sticking. The arepa will be fried for 5 minutes on a side, and each one takes about 12-14 minutes to cook (cook times vary depending on how moist you have the arepa dough). In practice, flipping them more frequently prevents excessive burning. Its okay to have some charred patches, but too many may ruin the flavor. The first batch we tried cooking we had the heat up too high and made some rather burnt arepas- so don’t do that! Don’t rush, take it slow.

Serve with thick slices of fresh cheese, a fried egg, or salami. You can make the arepas without the cheese mixed in, but they tend to be drier. Many other variants are possible. In Colombia lesser varieties also include arepas made from flour or rice. Other seasonings may be added to the dough depending on taste. Perhaps you prefer them sweeter or savory? Throw in some diced Serrano peppers for a spicy arepa. Arepas are commonly served with the dishes Cazuela de frijoles and bandeja paisa.

Enjoy!