Arepas are the daily bread in Venezuela. They are eaten at any time, stuffed with whatever you have in the fridge, and with P.A.N. flour they are ready in twenty-five minutes.
Time: 25 minutes · Yields: 6 arepas · Difficulty: easy
INGREDIENTS
2 cups P.A.N. pre-cooked corn flour
2 and 1/2 cups warm water
One teaspoon of salt
Oil or butter for the griddle
PREPARATION
Pour the warm water into a large bowl and dissolve the salt. Add the flour little by little, sprinkling it with one hand while mixing with the other, to prevent lumps from forming.
Knead until you achieve a soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands. If it's too dry, add water by the tablespoon; if it's sticky, add a little more flour. Let it rest for five minutes.
Form fist-sized balls and flatten them into discs about two centimeters thick. Smooth the edges with wet fingers to prevent cracking.
Cook on a griddle or frying pan with a little oil, over medium heat, for about five minutes on each side, until a golden crust forms and they sound hollow when tapped.
Finish in the oven at 200 degrees for ten minutes to ensure they are cooked through.
HOW TO STUFF THEM
Open them in half with a knife, without cutting all the way through, and stuff to taste: grated white cheese, black beans with cheese, shredded beef, chicken with avocado, or the classic "reina pepiada."
TIP
The water should be warm, not hot or cold. This is the detail that most influences the final texture of the dough.
WHAT YOU NEED
At CoCo we have 1 kg white P.A.N. flour, Latin cheese, and everything you need for the filling. Home delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium.
I'm Alex, a Venezuelan in Amsterdam and founder of CoCo Mercado Latino. I bring to the Netherlands the products we grew up with.
I cook at @alexcooks.ams and bring the product at @cocomercadolatino.