2000s Recipes + Menus
Cheese Arepas (Arepas de Queso)
Makes24
- Active time:50 min
- Start to finish:50 min
June 2009
The Colombian and Venezuelan small fried corn cakes called arepas have a distinctive roasty-toasty flavor. They’re fantastic topped with a dollop of almost anything you see on the table.
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups white arepa flour
- 1/4 lb coarsely grated queso blanco
- 1/4 lb grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
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Stir together water, butter, sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon. Add arepa flour in a slow stream, stirring. Stir in cheeses, then turn out onto a work surface and knead with your hands until smooth.
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Heat a 2-burner heavy griddle or a 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot. Meanwhile, divide dough into 24 equal pieces and roll into balls, then flatten into 2-inch rounds, covering them with a kitchen towel.
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Oil griddle and cook half of arepas, turning once, until crusty and golden-brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Continue cooking, turning occasionally, until arepas sound hollow when tapped, 18 to 20 minutes more. Cook remaining arepas in same manner.
Cooks’ notes:
- Arepas are best when freshly made.
- Dough can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before using.
- We also have a Web-exclusive recipe using the leftover arepa flour.
- Keywords
- latino,
- vegetarian,
- dairy,
- gourmet entertains,
- maricel presilla
Fiesta Forever
When Maricel Presilla, a restaurateur and major authority on Latin cooking, throws a party, she thinks big. Really big. And since she believes that ‘el barbecue’ can be a key to a culture, we couldn’t pass up the chance to spend a day in her world, with her food. You’re invited, too.
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