Recipe for authentic stuffed arepas
As its name says, this recipe is one of the most authentic to try, because it is cooked together with its filling, giving it a very different and delicious finish. These arepas are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and minerals, and are ideal for an excellent breakfast or dinner, you can prepare them with different types of filling and they are very simple to make.
Next, we will show you its preparation along with its ingredients so that you can surprise everyone with the authentic Venezuelan arepa, from its Andean region.
Ingredients of the stuffed arepas:
For your dough:
250 grams of flour (wheat)
250 grams of cornstarch (cornstarch, cornmeal)
2 tablespoons of salt.
1 teaspoon of sugar.
50 grams of butter (shortening or margarine).
1 egg.
250 milliliters of milk.
For your filling:
200 grams of thin sliced cheese.
200 grams of thin sliced ham.
Tips that should be taken into account for its preparation:
It is advisable to have all the materials ready that we will use, (utensils and ingredients) before starting to make the recipe. Also, before you begin, preheat the oven or stove that you will be using, as this will give the arepas a crunchy finish. In case you prefer soft arepas, just simmer it.
When you finish cooking in the oven, take out the trays and remove the arepas, placing them on a plate to cool and then you can consume them at a comfortable temperature. If we leave it on the tray where we cook it, it will possibly be more toasted than normal, losing the quality we expect.
When serving the stuffed arepas, you can accompany it with a delicious garlic sauce or one of your choice. Also include a passion fruit or passion fruit juice, as it is the perfect complement to this recipe.
Do not let your arepas cool too long, as this will cause your stuffed arepas to become very tough and difficult to eat. For this reason, it is preferable that it be served and eaten shortly after cooking.
Preparation of the stuffed arepas recipe
First, mix the flours with salt and sugar.
Add the softened butter and work with your fingertips to form a smooth bread mixture.
Next, beat the egg with the milk and add them to the flour mixture, this will give it greater consistency.
Work the dough to a smooth, homogeneous consistency that can be peeled off your hands.
Next, roll into walnut-sized balls and flatten them with a rolling pin, giving them a round shape.
Put a slice of cheese and another of ham, on top of the middle of the rounds.
Cover with the remaining rounds, pressing the edges with a fork so that the filling does not come out.
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes. Then, place the arepas on a previously greased and floured tray.
Finally, put the tray in the oven, preheated to high temperature, until the arepas are golden and crisp.
Remove the tray from the oven, let it cool slightly and serve the arepas on a plate.
Additional recommendations after its preparation:
When you prepare stuffed arepas and cannot eat them instantly, place them in a tightly covered container. If this container preserves the heat, it will be much better because it will preserve them in an excellent quality.
A variation of this recipe is to prepare the fried stuffed arepas. You just have to place a pan with previously heated oil and submerge your stuffed arepas very carefully. Flip until golden brown and crisp.
The filling that you can use is very variable, you can add chicken, meat, fish and even grains. You can also prepare your stuffed arepas in a large size, from 50 to 80 grams approximately, so your process will be faster.
If for some reason you made too many arepas and are afraid they will spoil or lose their softness, just store them in a covered container, place in the refrigerator. When you want to eat them, chop them into pieces and fry them in a pan preheated with oil.
Diversities of the arepas:
Cheese arepas:
It is a delicious recipe and the most common, prepared only with cornmeal, water and a pinch of salt. If you like, you can add a few grams of sugar to the dough. The filling is yellow cheese or Guayanés cheese (Venezuelan), it is a very soft and creamy cheese.
Sweet arepas:
An excellent recipe to prepare as a dessert, you can make it fried with vegetable oil. Children love this recipe and it is prepared with 80% corn flour, 20% wheat flour, egg, sugar to taste, sweet anise and a pinch of salt. To cook it, you just have to place it in the pan with oil and take them out when they are golden brown. If you wish, you can add grated cheese at the end of your arepa.
Pernil:
Its mixture is prepared with corn flour, water and salt, for its filling add pork leg and the sauce of your choice, giving it a unique and peculiar taste.
Widow:
It is an arepa prepared with corn flour. Its name is due to the fact that no filler is placed on it. You can usually use it as a side to your lunch meals.
Andean:
It is a delicious arepa with a thick and very soft structure, its preparation must be on the plant and over a low heat, preferably covered so that it has a better growth and fluffiness. For its preparation you should only use wheat flour, sugar, egg, water, milk and salt.
Curiosities of the stuffed arepas:
The arepa is one of the oldest recipes, due to its simple and very practical way of preparing, it is used for breakfast, dinner and even lunch. They were created by indigenous people and they were only prepared with corn flour.
They are the number 1 most prepared recipes in Latin America, because they prepare it almost every day.
Currently there are 350 types of fillings that are added to the arepa.
The word arepa is recognized by the Spanish dictionary since 1884.