{"id":1596866,"date":"2021-03-15T15:30:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T20:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1596866"},"modified":"2024-10-04T10:46:03","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T15:46:03","slug":"how-to-make-arepas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/how-to-make-arepas\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Arepas (Venezuelan Recipe)"},"content":{"rendered":"The word arepa<\/em> is said to come from the word aripo,<\/em> which is the clay cookware chefs use to make arepas. The cornmeal-based dish was first created in the Caribbean town of Cumanagotos, which is now Cumana, located in the eastern part of Venezuela. You can now find areperas,<\/em> or arepa vendors, around the world<\/a>.\r\n\r\nIn Venezuela today, arepas are stuffed with all kinds of meats and vegetables, depending on the region. One classic is the reina pepiada <\/em>arepa, filled with avocado chicken salad. The iconic combo is named after Venezuelan actress and Miss World 1955, Susana Duijm. In Spanish, reina<\/em> means \"queen\" and pepiada<\/em> means, loosely, \"hot or good looking\"!\r\n

What Is an Arepa?<\/h2>\r\n

An arepa is a small, round sandwich, about 1\/2 to 3\/4 inches thick, made out of cornmeal, salt and water. It can be baked or grilled, and is eaten with meals in Venezuela and Colombia. Depending on the region, arepas can vary in size and thickness, but no meal is served without a round corn arepa.<\/p>\r\n

To learn more about arepas, I recommend an adorable children's book by Ximena Montilla called Soy la arepa<\/em><\/a>. It explains the history of the arepa and how this dish is connected to Venezuelan cultural identity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Why You Need Precooked Cornmeal<\/h2>\r\nTo make arepas, it's important to use precooked cornmeal. Because arepas have become so popular, it should be easy to find a 5-pound bag in your neighborhood grocery store. (In Venezuela, the most popular cornmeal flour is Harina P.A.N.<\/a>)\r\n

What's the difference between cornmeal and precooked cornmeal? The precooked cornmeal has been cooked and dehydrated. Then, when you add water to make the dough, or masarepa<\/em>, the texture will be similar to play dough. If you use regular cornmeal to make arepas, the mixture won't hold together.<\/p>\r\n

Each arepa is like a blank canvas, so use your imagination when it comes to fillings. There is even a saying that roughly translates to, \"Life is like an arepa; the flavor depends on what you spread in it.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Reina Pepiada Arepas Recipe<\/h2>\r\nThis is a basic recipe for arepas, but you can experiment with other ingredients like chia seeds, flaxseeds<\/a> or shredded carrots. You can even change the color! We call this arepitas de colores,<\/em> or colorful mini arepas.\r\n

Ingredients<\/h3>\r\nTo make the filling:<\/strong>\r\n