Fried Cakes Arepas Food

FRIED CAKES: AREPAS

Steps:

• Substitute butter for oil.
• Use 1 cup cornmeal; skip the flour and baking powder.
• Beat the egg with 1 cup milk and add 1 cup grated Cheddar; use just 1/2 cup corn kernels. (Batter will be thinner.)
• Cook like pancakes, until golden and fluffy.
• Garnish: Cheddar and avocado.

CHEESE-STUFFED AREPAS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Stir together 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Gradually add the corn meal into the water, using your fingers to stir and combine, until a soft and moist dough forms.
• Divide the dough into 8 golf ball-size balls and pat each into a patty about 5-inches wide and 1/4-inch-thick.
• Put a cube of mozzarella in the center of each patty. Fold the dough over the cheese, making sure the cheese is completely covered and sealed. Pat it back down until 3-inches wide and 1/2-inch-thick (see Cook's Note).
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the corn patties, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side (making sure the oil is hot for each batch). Transfer to a cooling rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the edges are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.

HOMEMADE SOUTH AMERICAN AREPAS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a mixing bowl, stir the salt into the masarepa cornmeal.
• Pour 2 3/4 cups of hot water over the flour and mix well with a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the melted butter.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
• If you want thicker arepas, separate the dough into 12 pieces. For thinner arepas, divide the dough into 18 pieces.
• Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Add more water if needed-the dough should be moist enough so that you can shape the arepas without the dough forming lots of cracks around the edges.
• Place each ball in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten gently with the bottom of a pot. Thick arepas should be about 3 inches in diameter and almost 1-inch thick. Thin arepas should be about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick.
• Use your fingers to smooth out any cracks along the edges.
• Place the shaped arepas on a cookie sheet covered with plastic wrap.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet on low heat. Put 1/2 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil in the skillet.
• Place several arepas in the pan, leaving room to turn them.
• Cook the arepas for about 5 minutes on each side. The surface should dry and form a crust. They will brown slightly but do not let them brown too much. They should look like an English muffin. If they are browning too fast, lower the heat. Add more butter or oil for subsequent batches as needed.
• The thinner arepas are done when they have formed a nice crust but are still soft on the inside. For thicker arepas, finish cooking in the oven: After they have formed a crust and are just a bit browned, place them on a cookie sheet and heat for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 F.

AREPAS

Steps:

• Put the cornmeal in a food processor and grind until fine.
• Put the cornmeal in a large bowl with the salt and cheese.
• In a small saucepan heat the milk over medium heat until it comes to a steady simmer.
• Add the butter to the pan and stir until melted.
• Take pan off the heat and add to the cornmeal mixture to form a thick batter.
• Fold in the corn kernels.
• Let the batter rest about 15 minutes to thicken into a soft dough.
• Form 1 inch balls from the dough and flatten with the palm of your hand into 1/4 inch thick disks.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the arepas until golden brown, about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other, working in batches until done.
• Serve hot with butter.

COLOMBIAN AREPAS

Steps:

• Toss together arepa flour, cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then stir in water until incorporated.
• Let stand until enough water is absorbed for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).
• Form 3 level tablespoons dough into 1 ball and flatten between your palms, gently pressing to form a 1/4-inch-thick patty (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide), then gently press around side to eliminate cracks. Transfer to a wax-paper-lined surface.
• Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, transferring to wax-paper-lined surface.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry arepas in 2 batches, turning over once, until deep golden in patches, 8 to 10 minutes total per batch.
• Drain on paper towels.

FRIED MASA CAKES WITH CHEESE (AREPAS DE QUESO)

Steps:

• Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Combine arepa flour, salt, sugar, and mozzarella in a large bowl.
• Add hot milk and stir until combined. Let mixture stand until milk is absorbed enough for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).
• Form dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and flatten between palms into 3 1/2- to 4-inch patties (about 1/3 inch thick).
• Heat ‚ tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately low heat until hot, then cook 3 or 4 arepas until cooked through and golden in patches, 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Make more arepas in same manner, adding oil as needed.

COLOMBIAN AREPAS

Steps:

• Toss together arepa flour, cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then stir in water until incorporated. Let stand until enough water is absorbed for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).
• Form 3 level tablespoons dough into 1 ball and flatten between your palms, gently pressing to form a 1/4-inch-thick patty (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide), then gently press around side to eliminate cracks. Transfer to a wax-paper-lined surface. Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, transferring to wax-paper-lined surface.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry arepas in 2 batches, turning over once, until deep golden in patches, 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Drain on paper towels.