Arepas

Name: Arepas
Yield: feeds 4 to 6
Ingredients: 2 cups masarepa (precooked instant cornmeal—see note); 2 cups water; 1/4 cup sugar; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 1/2 cups canned, frozen, or fresh corn kernels, cooked; 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced; 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; Fire-Roasted Garlic Salsa (page 24)

January 24, 2012

I first came across these tasty Colombian fried corn cakes stuffed with oozin’, stringy cheese at a Miami street festival. Back home, I messed around with the recipe and added whole corn kernels to the dough to make ‘em more interesting. In the restaurant we serve arepas with a pile of pulled pork in the center for a real Memphis-meets-Miami dish. But if you don’t have the pork on hand, they’re just as good served with some Fire-Roasted Garlic Salsa.

Cooks' Note

Masarepa is available in groceries that sell Hispanic foods.

Recipe notes

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