Venezuelan Arepas
Light and golden arepas are an absolute staple at the Venezuelan table—they are to Venezuelans what baguettes are to the French. Morning, noon, and night, we eat them with everything from sweet butter to scrambled eggs and Carne Mechada. From the most humble kitchen table to the fanciest gourmet restaurant, when Venezuelans break bread it is fresh griddled and steamy arepas that they’re ripping into.
Because arepas are so prominent in Venezuelan cuisine, they have been significant in my culinary journey as well. It was the first dish I learned to cook and was able to make on my own. Since then arepas have remained a signature of my kitchen and has allowed me to introduce my culture and cuisine throughout the world. Easily made with precooked corn flour, arepas are as adaptable as they are delicious—enjoy them at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time.
Ingredients
RECIPE
2 cups Doña Arepa, Harina P.A.N., or Areparina corn flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups water
Unsalted butter, cream cheese, queso fresco, or mozzarella for serving
Preparation
Adjust your oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Whisk the oil into 2½ cups of water, then add it to the corn flour and salt, stirring until well combined. The dough will start out loose but the flour quickly absorbs the liquid. Start to knead the dough in the bowl and once it becomes very soft and doesn’t stick to your hands, after about 8 minutes, the dough is ready to be shaped (if, while kneading, the dough seems too stiff and breaks apart, add a few tablespoons of hot water; if it is too sticky, add a little more corn flour).
Divide the dough into 16 equal balls and flatten each between your palms into a 3½- to 4-inch patty that’s about ⅓ inch thick (for a less rustic-looking arepa, press the arepa into a disk using a flat-bottomed plate; you can wet your hands with a little water if the dough is slightly sticky).
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add 3 or 4 arepas to the pan (depending on how big your pan is); the arepas should sizzle as they hit the skillet. Cook the arepas until they’re golden and have a nice crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip them and brown the other side for an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the arepas to a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil (if the pan is dry) and the remaining arepa dough disks (you’ll probably need to use two baking sheets to bake the arepas).
Bake the arepas until they puff up, 20 to 30 minutes, switching the pans, so the top baking sheet is on the bottom and the bottom moves up to the top, midway through cooking. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes before serving with butter, cream cheese, queso fresco, or mozzarella.
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