Arepas

Venezuela

About Arepas

Arepas are round, flat cakes of pre-cooked maize flour, water and salt, eaten every day in Venezuela and Colombia. They are cooked on a griddle until a crisp shell forms, then often finished in the oven so the inside stays soft and steamy.

Indigenous peoples of the region were making corn cakes like these long before the Spanish arrived. Today they are made with special pre-cooked corn flour, which makes the dough quick and easy to shape by hand.

In Venezuela, arepas are split open and stuffed like a sandwich with almost anything: shredded beef, black beans, avocado, white cheese or chicken salad. A famous filling, reina pepiada, combines chicken, avocado and mayonnaise. Areperas, shops dedicated to arepas, serve them from breakfast until late at night.

Ingredients

• cornmeal
• water
• salt
• cheese