How to Make Arepas recipe

Originally posted September 27, 2013

Arepas (ah-ray-pahs) are a corn pocket which can be found on many street corners in Venezuela. I first became familiar with them when I met Adriana Lopez Vermut from Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen at the Gluten-Free Spree in San Francisco in 2009. At the time, she only had a location in Napa’s Oxbow Market. Now, there are two other locations in San Francisco (Mission and Castro areas). Click on that link and scroll down to see exact locations. I wrote an article about Pica Pica as well.

She was recently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. He, like most people, was blown away by Pica Picas’ arepas. The flavors of the arepa fillings are really amazing. I believe he deemed them “outrageous”, possibly the highest triple D compliment one can receive.

A few years ago she invited me to come to her restaurant to make a special Family Chef recipe for the arepas. I chose a sweet potato and black bean-style chili which went very well with the crunchy on the outside-soft on the inside corn pocket. I only made arepas once since then and decided recently I needed to try them again; practice makes perfect!

For the filling, I made a crock pot Latin-style chicken and served it with black beans, cilantro, avocado, red onion, and lime. My family loved it (especially the make-your-own part as we each like different fillings). They were delicious!

Well, here is my tutorial for you. I hope it helps to make you successful!

How to Make Arepas

Makes 8 arepas

● 2 teaspoons fine sea or kosher salt
● 2 cups/325 gm P.A.N. precooked white cornmeal
● 1 teaspoon vegetable oil plus more for shaping

Note: before you start, prepare your filling. If you want to use the sweet potato-black bean chili, use less liquid. The filling should be more like a salad consistency that holds together on its own.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together salt with 2 ½ cups of warm water until fully dissolved, about a minute. Gradually add the P.A.N. precooked white cornmeal and 1 teaspoon of the oil, mixing vigorously with your hands as you go. Knead the dough for a few more minutes, making sure the dough is smooth and lump-free. It should feel moist and tacky, but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle in a tablespoon of the P.A.N. at a time, mixing well after each addition. If it seems too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time until the texture feels right.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes, or up to 2 hours, so it can fully hydrate.
3. Heat oven to 425°F. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and set aside.
4. Divide dough into 8 portions; each piece should be about 80 gm but eyeballing is fine. Lightly grease your palms with vegetable oil. Gently flatten each dough ball into a disk (I picture a hockey puck) about 4″ across and approximately 1⁄3″ thick, patting the dough from hand to hand. Shaping the dough into a disc slowly will prevent it from cracking.
5. Transfer the disks to a large plate and keep covered until ready to fry.
6. Heat a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add 2 to 3 arepas to the pan depending on size. You should hear a sizzle when the dough hits the pan. Press lightly in the middle of the dough every now and then, so the trapped steam can escape. After about 3 to 5 minutes, flip the arepas and cook on the other side for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. The arepa should have a little bit of color, and each side should be cooked and crispy.
7. After the arepas have been cooked, transfer the arepas onto the wire rack with the baking sheet and move to the oven for 4 to 5 mins to finish cooking.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.
9. When ready to serve, hold a warm arepa between a kitchen towel to protect your hand from escaping steam. Use a sharp paring knife to slit arepa around the edges (like an English muffin) to create a pocket. The inside will be slightly doughy but not raw.
10. Carefully fill the split area with desired filling and enjoy.