Arepa de Queso

Colombia (and Venezuela) are known for their arepas. In Colombia (where I was born) there are regional varieties that are as different as the people in the country. We basically eat arepas with everything. They make an awesome breakfast, they are served on the side during lunch and dinner…and they make a great snack.

Making arepa dough is quite time consuming (and I am too lazy to do it). You’d have to peel the corn, cook the corn, and grind it. For times sake, just use masarepa (Corn meal). 1 cup arepa flour (masarepa) 1 cup hot water 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg yolk 8 ounces grated white cheese (queso blanco Colombiano – or Queso tropical) 2 tablespoons salted butter Plastic wrap Cast Iron Skillet Start by mixing the cornmeal with salt Add hot water and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Incorporate the egg yolk into the masa (dough) Knead the grated cheese into the dough. Create 10 balls out of the dough. Put a ball of dough in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten into a patty. Melt butter in the skillet. Cook the arepas in batches (5 minutes per side) When you are done, the outside should be slightly golden, crispy, and the inside should be soft and chewy. Enjoy