Arepas (Venezuela)

Arepas are the Venezuelan daily bread made with precooked corn meal in a round semi flat shape griddle or fried. They are made using a special flour HARINA PAN  (Venezuelan precooked cornmeal).



A Venezuelan table is no complete without Arepas. In my country we have places called Areperias (Arepas Bar) where you can order arepas with different filling. You can eat them for breakfast, for lunch or for dinner or stop by after coming back from a midnight party. Arepa with white cheese and butter is one of my son favorite’s snacks after school. The cheese melts perfectly, you will love to try one..



Ingredients for Masa - Arepa DoughPreparation
 2 cups HARINA PAN white corn meal.
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 Tbsp of vegetable or canola oil
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
Stir in 2 cups of lukewarm water the salt and oil.
Gradually add the Harina Pan. You can stir with a fork with fast movements to avoid lumps and finished mixing with your hands like you are making bread dough.
Set aside to rest for 10 minutes the masa will dry a little bit. You can add a few tablespoon of cornmeal if is too soft and needle again after 10 minutes resting.
Take a small portion of masa; make a small ball and semi flatted.
Lightly oil a large nonstick pan or griddle and heat over medium heat.
Cook the Arepas for approximately 4 minutes in one side until a crust is formed and then flipped to the other side until is completely cooked - more minutes. The Arepa will be read when you take out and tap with your fingers and sound like a drum.
Split each arepa in half without cut completed to the end and stuffed with your preferred filling. 




Video How to make Arepas

Making Arepas in Geneva Switzerland


Arepas Asadas al Carbon




Arepitas dulces de Anis y Queso Frita

Arepitas Fritas para pasapalos



Arepas de Maiz Amarillo


AREPA FILLINGS
Arepas can be filled  with: cheese and butter, Perico scrambles eggs with tomatoes and onion, black beans and  cheese, Shredded beef, shredded chick, salami and cheese, ground beef, avocado and mozzarella cheese, chicken salad, and more. Is futures post you will have the recipes to some of the filling. If you want to make at home do not use Maseca Mexican flour - is not the same, use HARINA PAN and do not put ketchup, mustard or peanut butter. Is a delicious and unique Venezuelan dish.The following are some of our delicious Venezuelan Arepas and fillings and you can order any of them if you ever have the chance to visit an Areperia or make at home.


Queso y Mantequilla: stuffed with cheese and butter.
Perico:  Scrambled eggs cooked with chopped tomato and onion.
Jamón y Queso:  stuffed with ham and cheese.
Pabellón: filled with shredded beef, black beans, white rice and fried plantains.
Dominó: filled with black beans and grated white cheese.
Reina Pepiada (The Queen): filled with shredded chicken, mayonnaise, and chopped avocado.
La Viuda (The Widow):  a plain arepa.
La Pelúa (The Hairy One): filled with shredded beef and grated yellow cheese.
La Catira (The Blond One):  filled with shredded chicken and Gouda cheese.
Rumbera (The Party One): the filling is Pork and Gouda cheese.
Musiua (The “Monsier” One): Arepa burger, filled with a burger patty, tomatoes, onions and lettuce.
Bomba (The Bomb): stuffed with Perico and Black Beans.
Carne Mechada: stuffed with Shredded Beef.
Carne Molida: stuffed with ground beef.
Pernil: stuffed with roast pork.
Pollo: stuffed with Shredded chicken.
Chicharrón: stuffed with Pork crackling.
Cazón: stuffed with shark.
Atun: Tuna salad with onions and a squeeze of lemon.
Chorizo:  stuffed with Spanish Sausage or Chorizo.
Guasacaca: stuffed with Guasacaca and white cheese.
Ensalada de Gallina: Chicken salad.
Diablitos: Devilled ham.
Queso de mano:  "hand cheese", a soft white Venezuelan cheese.
    What Is your favorite one???
My son favorite's is with cheese and when he came back from school said: Mama make me an arepita!

9 comments:

  1. Oct 3, 2013
    Carolina stop by the house and showed me how to fix arepas. They turned out delicious! Thank you Caro for your patience and knowledge.
    You are a great Chef! Good luck with your blog.
    Carolina paso por mi casa y me enseno a hacer arepas. Quedaron deliciosas! Gracias Caro por su paciencia y su conocimiento.
    Usted es una gran Cocinera. Buena suerte con su blog.
    Ana Maria Baller

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  2. Anita you are welcome. Siempre a tu orden. Disfruta las arepas.

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  3. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and leaving your comment and the link to your blog! I love your arepas post. Oh how I wish I lived near you so I could taste yours! My mouth is watering. I will definitely be referencing this post for my future arepas efforts. I do have the same flour as you. No I have another wonderful recipe. So nice to meet you Carolina!

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  4. Thanks for stopping by and providing me this link. I love the idea of an Arepa Bar and would love trying to make these. Nice to find you blog.

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  5. Hello! I don't know if you would remember me but you approached me while I was in a waiting room at a doctor's office in Beavercreek. You asked me if I liked to cook and then you gave me the link to your blog. I must say, I am quite impressed with the amount of pictures and detailed explanations of many dishes from many cultures! I am enjoying every page! :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Tiffany. Yes I remember you. Thank you so much for visit my blog. I am glad that you enjoy it my recipes. Please feel free to share my blog with your friends if you would like too. Please if you need a recipe or a cooking class I would love to help you or if you want to learn how to make Venezuelan Arepas!!

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  6. Hola Carolina, me ha gustado mucho encontrarte hier en la tienda a Vaihingen. Voy desfrutar de tu receta de arepas y te enviaré Fotos. Andrea (el italiano)

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  7. Hola Carolina, me ha gustado muco encontrarte hier en la tienda a Vahingen. Voy a desfrutar de tu receta de arepas y te enviaré fotos. Andrea (el italiano)

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  8. Hola Andrea, como estas? A mi tambien me dio muchisimo gusto y mas todavia que haces nuestra ricas arepas. Espero por tu foto. Un cordial saludo

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