Food

Arepas

With one of my daughters converting to Judaism, I’m always on the look out for recipes that might be useful for various festivals. This is not least due to the challenges of Passover or Pesach, where no rising agents are allowed, basically no wheat or wheat products, much rules out most ready made or processed foodstuffs. Potatoes and yet more potatoes seem to be the obvious Northern European answer, a challenge for breakfast.

Yet over in South America, corn reigns supreme and it seems worthwhile taking a look at this recipe for cheese filled arepas …

Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min
Makes 6

100ml milk, whole milk, ideally
½ tsp fine salt
200g masarepa, or white pre-cooked cornmeal
100g salty white cheese (eg, queso fresco, feta or similar), crumbled
60g firm mozzarella
Oil
Butter, to finish

Put the milk and salt in a arge bowl with 220ml hot water. Sprinkle over the cornmeal and stir in until the mix comes together into a soft dough (add more liquid if necessary).

Put the milk and salt in a large bowl with 220ml hot water. Sprinkle over the cornmeal and stir in until the mix comes together into a soft dough (add more liquid if necessary).

01c Felicity Cloake’s arepas . stir in until the mix comes together into a soft dough (add more liquid if necessary).

Stir in the crumbled white cheese, cover and leave to sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the mozzarella.

some cheeses. In a bowl. Stir in the crumbled white cheese, cover and leave to sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the mozzarella.

Using damp hands, divide the dough into six even pieces, roll into balls, then, working one ball at a time and on a wooden surface for ease, flatten one to about 8cm wide and a little shy of 1cm thick.

02b Felicity Cloake’s arepas ... Using damp hands, divide the dough into six even pieces, roll into balls, then, working one ball at a time and on a wooden surface for ease, flatten one to about 8cm wide and a little shy of 1cm thick.

Add a generous helping of grated mozzarella, then bring up the sides to enclose the cheese.

02c Felicity Cloake’s arepas. Discs of uncooked cheesy dough. Add to the dough a generous helping of grated mozzarella, then bring up the sides to enclose the cheese. Roll again into a ball, then flatten again to 8cm wide and 1cm thick, turning it around inside your damp cupped hands to smooth out the edges.

Roll again into a ball, then flatten again to 8cm wide and 1cm thick, turning it around inside your damp cupped hands to smooth out the edges.

Put a lightly greased, heavy frying pan on a medium heat and, once it’s hot, add as many arepas as will fit comfortably without them touching.

03a Felicity Cloake’s arepas cooking in a pan. Put a lightly greased, heavy frying pan on a medium heat and, once it’s hot, add as many arepas as will fit comfortably without them touching. Immediately turn down the heat to medium-low, cover (use a baking tray, board or foil if you don’t have a pan lid) and cook, shaking the pan occasionally to stop the arepas sticking, for about five or six minutes, until the base is golden brown. Turn over, repeat on the other side and serve spread with butter to serve.

Immediately turn down the heat to medium-low, cover (use a baking tray, board or foil if you don’t have a pan lid) and cook, shaking the pan occasionally to stop the arepas sticking, for about five or six minutes, until the base is golden brown. Turn over, repeat on the other side and serve spread with butter to serve.