Venezuelan Arepas with Butter and Grated White Cheese
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Masarepa dough is shaped into discs, seared in a heavy pan until crusted, baked until they sound hollow, then split and filled with butter and grated white cheese.
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Method
- 1
Mix the dough. Whisk the salt into the warm water, then add the corn flour gradually, mixing with your hand until no dry lumps remain. Cover with the towel and rest for 5 minutes. It should feel like soft play dough; add 1-2 tbsp water if it cracks.
- 2
Shape. Divide into 8 balls (about 110 g each). With damp hands, flatten each into a 10 cm disc about 1.5 cm thick, smoothing any cracked edges.
- 3
Sear. Heat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan). Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat and cook the arepas in batches for 5-6 minutes per side until a pale golden crust forms.
- 4
Bake. Move them to the tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly puffed and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- 5
Fill. Cool for 2 minutes on the rack, then split each almost all the way through, spread with butter and stuff with cheese. Serve hot.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Cooled unfilled arepas keep in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for a month; reheat in a 180 °C oven for 10 minutes. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large bowl
- clean tea towel
- large cast-iron or heavy frying pan
- baking tray
- wire rack
- serrated knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 469 kcal |
| Protein | 10.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 60.5 g |
| of which sugars | 1.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 19.9 g |
| of which saturates | 9.4 g |
| Fibre | 2.9 g |
| Salt | 1.67 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.3 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
