Arepas: Griddled Corn Cakes with Cheese Filling

Ingredients and substitutions

Choosing your ingredients

Masarepa is corn that was cooked, dried and ground into a fine flour. Because it is already cooked, it turns into a smooth dough with only water and salt. Look for bags labeled for arepas, usually white corn, in the international aisle or a Latin market. Wikipedia lists other names for it, including masa de arepa and harina precocida.

Do not use regular cornmeal. It is raw ground corn, and on its own it will not hold together as a dough. Do not use masa harina either, the flour sold for corn tortillas. Masa harina comes from corn that was treated in an alkaline solution, a process called nixtamalization, and then dried and ground. Masarepa is different: it is cooked in water, then dried, and it is not nixtamalized. The two taste and handle differently, so swapping them gives crumbly cakes with the wrong flavor.

The amount of water matters more than any other detail. This dough starts at roughly equal parts flour and water by volume and thickens as the flour drinks. Brands differ a little, so keep a few extra spoonfuls of warm water nearby. Warm water, not hot, helps the flour soak evenly.

For the filling, pick a cheese that melts and tastes mild. Low-moisture mozzarella is easy to find and stretches well. Some cooks prefer a white cheese from a Latin market, such as a firm, salty fresh cheese, which can be sliced or crumbled. Wikipedia mentions white cheese, sometimes mixed with feta, as a common partner for arepas.

Possible substitutions

• Masarepa: No true substitute. Regular cornmeal and masa harina will not give the same dough. Order a bag labeled for arepas.
• Mozzarella: Monterey Jack, mild white cheddar or queso fresco. Fresh cheeses melt less, so crumble or slice thinly.
• Neutral oil in the dough: Melted butter, for a richer flavor and softer crumb.
• Unsalted butter: Use salted butter and cut the dough salt to 3/4 teaspoon, or skip the butter and let the cheese carry the filling.
• Avocado: Black beans, shredded chicken or a fried egg all suit an arepa.

Step-by-step method

1. Mix the dough. Stir the salt and the 2 tablespoons of oil into the warm water in a large bowl. Add the masarepa a little at a time, stirring as you go, so no dry pockets form. Keep stirring for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks like a thick, soft paste with no loose flour left in the bowl.
2. Rest and knead. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes, so the flour can absorb the water. Then knead it for 1 to 2 minutes. It should feel soft and smooth, like moist modeling clay, and hold a shape. If it cracks, knead in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it sticks to your hands, add a spoonful of masarepa.
3. Shape the cakes. Wet your hands lightly. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball. Flatten each ball into a round about 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide and 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Smooth the edges with a damp finger. Cracks at the rim will open up during cooking, so press them closed now.
4. Heat the griddle and oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle. Set a wide nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes and brush it with the tablespoon of oil. A drop of water should sizzle and vanish at once. If the pan smokes, lower the heat, because a very hot pan scorches the crust before the center warms.
5. Brown both sides. Cook the arepas in batches, without crowding, for 5 to 7 minutes per side. They are ready to flip when the underside is pale gold with some darker brown spots and the cake lifts from the pan without sticking. Move the browned arepas to a baking sheet as you go. Re-oil the pan lightly between batches if it looks dry.
6. Finish in the oven. Bake the arepas on the sheet for 10 to 15 minutes. They are done when the crust feels firm and they sound hollow when tapped on top. A cake that still sounds dull and feels soft in the middle needs a few more minutes. Let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes so the steam settles and they are easier to slice.
7. Split and fill. Use a serrated knife to cut each arepa open along the edge, stopping before the far side so it stays hinged. Spread the inside with a little butter and pack in the cheese. The heat of the arepa softens the cheese in about 1 to 2 minutes. If it stays firm, return the filled arepas to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Storage and reheating

Arepas are best on the day they are made, but they keep. Let them cool, then refrigerate unfilled arepas in an airtight container within two hours of cooking. They keep for 3 to 4 days. Filled arepas with cheese or meat should go into the refrigerator within the same two hours and be eaten in the same time frame.

To freeze, wrap the cooled, unfilled arepas tightly and freeze them for up to about 3 months for the best quality. Reheat from the refrigerator or freezer in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or in a skillet over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until hot in the center. Microwaving makes them soft and chewy. Reheat leftovers that contain meat until they reach 165°F (74°C).

Common mistakes

• Using the wrong flour. Cornmeal and masa harina are not masarepa. Check that the bag says pre-cooked corn flour for arepas, or the dough will be crumbly and the flavor will be off.
• Skipping the rest. Fresh dough feels loose and cracks as you shape it. A 5 to 10 minute rest lets the flour absorb the water so the dough turns smooth and easy to form.
• Making the dough too dry. A dry dough gives cracked edges and a dry, chalky inside. It should hold a ball without splitting. Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until the cracks disappear.
• Cooking only on the griddle. A thick cake can look brown outside and stay doughy in the middle. The oven step cooks the center through, so do not skip it.
• Using too much heat. A very hot pan darkens the crust in a minute while the center stays raw. Keep the pan at medium heat and look for pale gold with brown spots.