SO WHAT ARE AREPAS ANYWAY?
Arepas: "Arepas are a staple food in both Venezuela and Colombia. They are corn cakes, made from a special precooked corn flour." (Southamericanfood.com)
BASIC AREPA RECIPE (this one works for me every time)
Ingredients:
Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base (24x12Oz )
2 1/2 cups white pre-cooked cornmeal (use P.A.N Harina Blanca - Pre-cooked White Corn Meal 2lbs
or Goya White Masarepa 24 Ounce
)1 teaspoon salt2 3/4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons melted butter
Vegetable oil
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, mix salt with arepa flour.
- Pour hot water over flour (slowly, checking the texture of the dough adding more or less water as needed) and mix well with a wooden spoon. Stir in the melted butter. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.
- For Venezuelan style arepas (which is what we are making), separate dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball.
- Place each ball in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten gently with the bottom of a pot (I just pat them down, pattycake style in my hands). Arepas should be about 3 inches in diameter and almost an inch thick. Use your fingers to smooth out any cracks along the edges. Place shaped arepas on cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap.
- If making the thinner, Colombian-style arepas, divide the dough into 20 pieces, and form into balls. Place balls between 2 pieces of plastic and flatten with a heavy pot or skillet until they are about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick, using your fingers to smooth out any cracks along the edges. Place arepas on a cookie sheet, covered with plastic wrap.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (I use a heavy stainless steel pan, it's easier to clean and works just as well) on medium heat. Place 1/2 tablespoon butter or oil in the skillet. Place several arepas in the pan, leaving room so that you can turn them.
- Cook arepas about 5 minutes on each side. The surface should dry and form a crust. They will brown slightly, but do not let them brown too much. They should look like an english muffin. If they are browning too fast, lower the heat. Add more butter or oil for as needed.
- The thinner arepas are done when they have formed a nice crust, but are still soft on the inside. Serve them hot.
- The thicker, Venezuelan-style arepas finish cooking in the oven. Place them on a cookie sheet and heat for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve hot and fill with.....anything you like really, but below are some recipes to try out that are fantastic.
Arepas Catira (Blondie)
Delicious, hearty filling, that reminds me of comfort food. Couldn't be easier to make. Here is the recipe ...
Chicken Mechado (Shredded chicken)
· 1 Chicken Breast
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· ½ onion
· ½ Paprika (pepper / paprika)
· 4 Sweet Peppers
· 2 teaspoons tomato paste
· Oil
· Maggi™ Sauce (I use bouillion cubes)
· Salt
Preparation :
Chicken Mechado
Cook chicken in a pot with water, salt and a ™ sauce ( I use Maggi™ chicken bouillion cube instead it lends a nice flavor and you can use the stock afterwards and keep it in your fridge). When ready, remove the skin (you can also use skinless here which I do to cut down on the fat) and shred the chicken should. Keep a cup of chicken broth.
Cut onions, peppers and chili peppers into julienne or brunoise (depending on taste) and grate the garlic. (If you need a quickie, using GOYA™ Sofrito here is awesome. Saves you an extra step)
In a skillet with a little oil and fry the seasonings (or Sofrito) once browned add the chicken.
Add a cup of broth, two tablespoons of tomato paste (omit if using Sofrito), cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand.
Fill the arepa with plenty of chicken and cheddar cheese. (For a more authentic flavor use cotija cheese or shred some Gouda cheese and mix it in with the hot chicken mixture, which is what I do).
for more information see also http://especialidades-venezolanas.blogspot.de/search?q=catira
AREPAS REINA PEPIADA
This is my FAVORITE.... So flavorful and if you don't have arepa (bread) on hand throw it on whatever bread you have in the house!
2 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 small onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (I add more since I LOVE cilantro)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I find this to be optional)
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup seeded and diced (1/4-inch) red bell pepper (you can omit this, I do)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped
(I also add the juice of 1/2-1lime according to taste)
Preparation:
1 Place the chicken and onion in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch . Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.(Instead of all of this you can cook the chicken with Maggi™chicken bouillion to season it a bit as in the the Catira above) Remove the chicken from the saucepan and let cool completely. Tear the chicken into shreds.
2 Mash the avocado, mayonnaise, and vinegar together in a bowl with an immersion blender or fork until smooth. Add the cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, and garlic. Add the chicken, red pepper, red onion, and scallion and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar to give the filling a pleasant, but not sour, tang (It is preferential to use the lime juice for the tang than too much vinegar; but remember to taste, taste, taste!). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Reina-Pepiada-Arepas-365290#ixzz2gNqw4Y3w
note:
2 Mash the avocado, mayonnaise, and vinegar together in a bowl with an immersion blender or fork until smooth. Add the cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, and garlic. Add the chicken, red pepper, red onion, and scallion and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar to give the filling a pleasant, but not sour, tang (It is preferential to use the lime juice for the tang than too much vinegar; but remember to taste, taste, taste!). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Reina-Pepiada-Arepas-365290#ixzz2gNqw4Y3w
note:
** For arepas, you must use precooked cornmeal (labeled harina or harina precocida), imported from Venezuela. American cornmeal or corn flour and Mexican masa harina will not work. The most popular brand of precooked cornmeal is P.A.N. or Goya masarepa. Use white (blanco) cornmeal only.
