Kids Make Arepas
May 1st, 2009 · No Comments · Posted in kids, Recipes
In Latin America, food starts with corn and the arepa is another version of a corn cake that can be filled with just about anything–chicken, beef, pork, cheese, beans–to make a meal or a quick snack. In Venezuela, where our food appreciation classes are visiting this week on our virtual world food tour, arepas are considered a national dish. Small restaurants called areparias serve them exclusively. They are especially popular after a late night of partying, for breakfast, or for an afternoon snack.
What sets the arepa apart from tortillas or other corn-based breads is that the flour is precooked. This makes assembly especially quick and easy–just add water and a little salt. But you also need to find this specific corn flour. Fortunately, it is widely available in Latin groceries. The popular brand in Venezuela is called Pan. But generic flours are also sold as masarepa, or masa harina precocida(pre-cooked corn flour).
Arepas, formed into thick discs from the prepared dough, are typically cooked on a griddle. But we found it easier to brown them lightly on the griddle just enough to form a little crust, then finish baking them in the oven. To serve, slice them in half like an
English muffin and stuff them with the filling of your choice. The kids in our classes had a choice of scrambled eggs, salsa and fresh cheese, or queso fresco, which made this a real breakfast Venezuelan style.
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