Should Arepas be crispy or soft?

Arepas have a somewhat crispy exterior and a soft, slightly creamy inside . And they are effortless to make with only a few ingredients. Masarepa – You can find this specialty flour in the Latin section of your favorite supermarket.

How do you eat a stuffed arepa?

place the other half of the still-warm arepa over the toppings and gently press down . You want the cheese, sauces and sour cream to melt into each other and create a warm-cool dynamic. Let it sit a minute or so. Eat your sandwich as Venezuelans do – with your hands!

What is the best flour for arepas?

What's the best flour for making Arepas? Masarepa is recommended for arepas . If you don't see Masarepa on the package, look for precooked, refined corn meal (harina de maíz refinada precocida). Masarepa is flour made from pre cooked corn kernels that have not been soaked in a limewater solution (nixtamalized).

Are arepas healthier than bread?

Overall, arepas are a healthy choice when compared to other types of bread . They provide complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, and are low in fat. Arepas are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, and do not typically contain added sugars.

What is the best way to eat arepas?

Stuffed arepas are usually the best known way to eat them , you can fill them with ham and cheese, prepared meats, eggs or some more original and different combinations such as white cheese with black beans (known as Domino); chicken, avocado and mayonnaise (the famous Reina pepiada); shredded meat, fried plantain, ...

Do you eat arepas like a sandwich?

As a sandwich: Instead of splitting open an arepa and filling it with ingredients, you can use two arepas as the bread for a sandwich . Simply fill the arepas with your choice of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments to create a unique and delicious sandwich.

How do you know when an arepa is done?

The dough should feel sticky but not wet. If you find the dough to be wet, add a pinch of cornmeal at a time until the consistency is right. If you're unsure if you have cooked the arepas through, give them a tap. If they sound hollow, then they are done .

What is the consistency of arepas?

Once you can pick up the ball without it falling apart, you know you have a good consistency. It should be about the consistency of Play-doh . Next, break off a chunk about the size of a large meatball, and roll it into a ball within the palms of your hands. This will be our first arepa.

How do you know when arepa is cooked?

Once all the arepas have been fried and placed on a baking sheet, place them in the preheated oven. Bake them for 15 minutes. When you think they're ready, take them out of the oven and tap the top of the arepas. If they sound hollow - as if there is nothing inside - that means the arepas are ready .

Should arepas be soft in the middle?

The arepas should be consistent, but not completely dry, in the center and the crust very crunchy all over. The dough is usually mixed 50/50 of cornmeal and water, with a bit of salt, and we usually add a spoon of cooking oil, and a spoon of milk when kneading.

Oversized Mozzarella Arepas with Spring Vegetables Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Cast Iron

by: Cara Eisenpress

March14,2021

2.7

3 Ratings

Oversized Mozzarella Arepas with Spring Vegetables Recipe on Food52 (1)

Serves 2

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

My mom, my sister, and I fell in love with homemade arepas when I was in high school. We used to make them to go with South American/Mexican-style dishes (i.e. refried beans or corn), but we'd also eat them as a starchy side dish with main course salads. When you fry them, which I'm not actually certain is the authentic way to make arepas, they develop a lovely crust on the outside and an almost creamy consistency on the inside. And when you add cubed fresh mozzarella to the arepa batter, you wind up with delicious gooey, stringy, melty cheese in every bite. You do have to be careful to keep a hot pan when frying, as the copious cheese can stick to the pan and make the arepas hard to flip. —Cara Eisenpress

Test Kitchen Notes

The best part about this recipe was the way the mozzarella oozed out of the arepas with every bite. I was also amazed at how easy the arepas were to make—I'd always been a bit intimidated by them, but they were quick enough for a weekday meal. I will say, though, that the recipe isn't joking about being "oversized." In fact, I got scared off and wound up making four normal-sized patties instead. I appreciated the bare simplicity of the spring vegetable topping, but I might add some herbs or an acid next time to brighten it. —vrunka

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the Spring Vegetables
1 cupsugar snap peas, washed and trimmed
1 poundthin asparagus, washed, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 small zuchinni, trimmed and cut very thinly (on a mandolin if possible)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoonolive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¹/₂ teaspoonsalt
Freshly ground pepper

For the Arepas
1 ¹/₂ cupsmasa harina (fine corn flour)
1 teaspoonsalt
3 ouncesfresh mozzarella, diced
2 tablespoonsneutral oil

Directions

To make the vegetables, bring a pot of water to the boil. Salt it well, then add the sugar snaps and the asparagus and let cook for about 1 minute, until very green. Add the zucchini, and let cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until cooked.
Drain the vegetables and shock them with cold water. Drain again, and set aside.
Finish the vegetables when you've started frying the arepas: sauté the shallot and the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until just beginning to get golden. Add the vegetables and cook to warm them through. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the arepas, combine the masa harina, mozzarella, and salt in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of room temperature water, stir well to combine, then leave for 5 minutes.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick pan (big enough to fit 2 arepas). Take a little of the arepa dough and throw it into the pan. When it sizzles, you're ready to cook.
Divide the arepa dough into two balls. Flatten each into a disk with about a 7-inch diameter. Add to the pan. Cook on each side for 7-8 minutes, until the arepa has formed a crust and is quite golden. Be careful when flipping, as the cheese can stick to the pan.
When the arepas are done, lift them onto plates and top each with half of the sauteed vegetables and some freshly ground pepper.

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Recipe by: Cara Eisenpress

biggirlssmallkitchen.com

I'm the founder, editor, and head chef at the blog Big Girls, Small Kitchen (www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com), a site dedicated to easy-to-execute recipes and stories from a quarter-life kitchen. I'm also the author of In the Small Kitchen published in 2011.

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4 Reviews

karin.anderson.52 March 14, 2021

I made the arepas today, and, sadly they were a total flop. Realizing that the amounts of asparagus was way too much, I used only half of it, but we found the combination of sugar snap peas, asparagus and zucchini just bland and overly „healthy“ tasting.
As a baker, I used to handling wet doughs, but getting the patties into the skillet without them falling apart was quite a challenge. A cue as to what the mixed dough should feel like would have been helpful.

sunnyluz August 15, 2011

I'm missing the mozarepas from the NYC street fairs, so couldn't resist when i found this on Gojee. I added a tablespoon of sugar to recreate the street food flair, and made with PAN (precooked corn meal, the only thing I could find in my Portland, ME supermarket). Thanks for the recipe!

dymnyno June 19, 2010

I read this recipe to find out what arepes are...now I have got to make them! They sound and look delicious.

monkeymom June 15, 2010

These look delicious!