Arepas are a delicious Colombian treat. Don’t know what an arepa is, then think gordita/chalupa with a Colombian flare. Delicious with just about anything, and especially delicious topped with guacamole or an avocado salad.
This recipe comes Fiesta! A Celebration of Latin Hospitality by Anya von Bremzen. The cookbook is out of print, and the cover of my cookbook is different than the one Amazon has, so I can’t be sure the recipe is actually in there.
Ingredients:
- 2 c. milk
- 4 TBSP butter
- 1 1/2 c. white or yellow arepa flour (aka masarepa or arepaharina) (we use Goya brand and I prefer yellow)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 TBSP sugar
- 1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
Directions:
- In a small saucepan bring 1 1/2 c. milk to a boil. Pour boiled milk into a bowl and add the butter. Let stand.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the arepa flour, salt, sugar and cheese. Make a well in the center and pour in the hot milk. Stir the masa and milk together until there are no lumps. Knead the mixture, sprinkling the remaining 1/2 c. milk, until you have a smooth sticky dough. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick sheet between two pieces of wax paper. With a cookie cutter, or the rim of a glass, cut out 3-inch circles. You should get 8.
- You can either fry the arepas in oil or skillet fry them in a nonstick pan with just a bit of oil or cooking spray.
- Top with guacamole or whatever you like.
Arepas:
