Arepas Colombianas (Colombian Corn Cakes)
This traditional recipe for Arepas Colombianas (Colombian Corn Cakes) only contains 4 ingredients and will brighten up any meal. Because they are made with cornmeal they are naturally gluten-free. You can easily make a vegan version by replacing the butter for vegetable oil.
Equipment
- Something to press the arepas: an arepa-press, a patacon-press, a rolling pin, your hands
Ingredients
- 1 cup precooked cornmeal made of white corn
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tbsp butter, room temperature (replace by 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, when making vegan arepas)
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dough. Add hot water to a mixing bowl. Add cornmeal and mix with a fork. Add butter (or oil) and salt, and mix again with a fork. Then mix with your hands to make sure the butter is fully incorporated in the dough. The dough should feel soft, light, and slightly wet
- Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.If the dough feels a bit wet, letting the dough rest for a couple of minutes allows the cornmeal to soak up the water
- Divide the dough in 4-5 balls of equal size. Shape them in round discs of about 10 cm wide and 1 cm in thickness. Use any press like an arepa-press or patacon-press, a roller pin, or just your hands
- Bake in a frying pan. Generally it is not necessary to add oil or butter to the pan. If you find your arepas stick too much, do add some butter or oil. Bake them on a high fire, about 3-4 minutes per side, until they have some color and some dark spots
- Serve hot for breakfast, as a side dish or as a snack
Notes
Arepas taste best when eaten the same day.
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