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Servings: 2
Ingredients
- Arepas la del Gato serves 4 CLICK here for a printable recipe
- 2 ripe plantains, peeled sliced into 1/2" pieces
- vegetable oil
- 2 c harina p.a.n. corn flour
- 2 c boiling water
- 1 pn salt
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 8 guayanese cheese (you may substitute feta or mozzarella)
View Full Recipe at Sippity Sup-Serious Fun Food
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 421g | |
| Recipe makes 2 servings | |
| Calories 251 | |
| Calories from Fat 93 | 37% |
| Total Fat 10.4g | 13% |
| Saturated Fat 1.61g | 6% |
| Trans Fat 0.0g | |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 96mg | 4% |
| Potassium 910mg | 26% |
| Total Carbs 42.9g | 11% |
| Dietary Fiber 7.2g | 24% |
| Sugars 17.9g | 12% |
| Protein 2.87g | 5% |
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.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThere%20is%20a%20lot%20to%20love%20about%20Venezuela.%20But%20one%20of%20my%20strongest%20memories%20is%20attached%20to%20food.%20They%20have%20a%20pancake%20there%20that%20is%20absolutely%20ubiquitous.%20These%20pancakes%20are%20called%20arepas%20and%20they%20are%20made%20from%20corn%20flour.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EArepas%20are%20eaten%20at%20all%20times%20of%20the%20day%20and%20with%20many%20accompaniments.%20I%20had%20them%20served%20simply%20with%20butter%20for%20breakfast,%20I%20had%20them%20topped%20with%20fruit%20or%20meat,%20I%20had%20them%20handed%20to%20me%20on%20street%20corners%20by%20a%20local%20women%20proud%20of%20their%20national%20culinary%20treasure.%20They%20are%20commonly%20stuffed%20with%20just%20about%20anything%20you%20can%20think%20of%20and%20enjoyed%20%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%CB%9Csandwich-style'.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYou%20can%20find%20arepas%20in%20small%20restaurants%20called%20areperas.%20If%20you%20go%20to%20Venezuela,%20don't%20miss%20the%20opportunity%20to%20go%20to%20one.%20They%20are%20places%20where%20you%20can%20eat%20only%20arepas,%20with%20whatever%20you%20want%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%80%9Dcheese,%20jam,%20meat,%20chicken,%20pork,%20eggs,%20etc.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EArepa%20cafes%20are%20starting%20to%20become%20popular%20in%20the%20U.S.%20I%20have%20read%20that%20there%20are%20several%20in%20Southern%20California,%20though%20I%20have%20not%20been%20to%20one%20(yet).%20I%20have%20been%20to%20one%20in%20lower%20Manhattan%20called%20Caracas%20Arepas%20Bar.%20In%20fact%20I%20am%20emulating%20one%20of%20their%20arepa%20specialties%20here%20today.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%20called%20Arepas%20la%20del%20Gato.%20It%20is%20a%20traditional%20white%20corn%20arepa%20stuffed%20with%20avocado,%20sweet%20fried%20plantains%20and%20slightly%20salty%20Guayanese%20cheese%20that%20tastes%20a%20bit%20like%20a%20cross%20between%20feta%20and%20mozzarella.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%20is%20a%20combination%20of%20tastes%20and%20textures%20that%20will%20make%20you%20swoon!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20unusual%20cheese%20is%20key.%20I%20live%20in%20Los%20Angeles%20where%20I%20can%20get%20just%20about%20anything%20I%20want%20if%20I%20am%20willing%20to%20do%20the%20leg-work.%20And%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20this%20cheese%20I%20am%20willing%20to%20do%20whatever%20leg-work%20(or%20drive-work)%20that%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%84%A2s%20necessary.%20But%20if%20you%20don%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%84%A2t%20have%20a%20Venezuelan%20market%20in%20your%20neighborhood%20there%20are%20possible%20substitutions.%20Mexican%20queso%20cotija%20is%20usually%20easy%20to%20find%20and%20has%20that%20slightly%20salty%20taste%20of%20the%20original.%20However%20a%20mild%20feta%20or%20a%20strongly%20flavored%20mozzarella%20would%20both%20taste%20great.%20Maybe%20even%20a%20mix%20of%20both%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%A6%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20other%20key%20element%20is%20the%20flour.%20The%20best%20arepas%20are%20made%20with%20white%20corn%20flour,%20which%20is%20different%20than%20coarse%20corn%20meal.%20I%20have%20had%20arepas%20made%20with%20corn%20meal%20and%20they%20are%20not%20quite%20the%20same.%20In%20fact%20the%20posada%20we%20stayed%20in%20on%20Los%20Roques,%20Venezuela%20was%20owned%20by%20Italians%20and%20they%20served%20arepas%20made%20with%20yellow%20corn%20meal%20that%20were%20delicious%20but%20resembled%20a%20polenta%20cake%20more%20than%20a%20typical%20arepa.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETraditionally%20the%20flour%20for%20arepas%20was%20hand-ground%20by%20the%20cook.%20But%20today%20corn%20flour%20for%20making%20maize%20dough-based%20dishes%20such%20as%20arepas,%20hallacas,%20bollos,%20tamales,%20empanadas,%20and%20chichi,%20is%20widely%20available.%20The%20most%20popular%20brand%20name%20of%20corn%20flour%20is%20Harina%20PAN.%20You%20may%20have%20seen%20its%20distinctive%20yellow%20packaging%20in%20the%20market%20with%20out%20really%20knowing%20what%20it%20was.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20am%20so%20glad%20I%20was%20able%20to%20travel%20to%20Venezuela%20when%20I%20did.%20I%20hope%20our%20countries%20can%20work%20out%20their%20differences%20because%20I%20very%20much%20would%20like%20to%20return.%20Though%20I%20get%20the%20impression%20that%20may%20not%20be%20a%20good%20idea%20right%20now.%20Because%20more%20than%20once%20after%20a%20trip%20abroad,%20I%20have%20had%20a%20U.S.%20customs%20agent%20flip%20through%20my%20passport%20and%20question%20my%20motive%20for%20traveling%20to%20Venezuela.%20I%20always%20look%20at%20them%20incredulously%20and%20say,%20%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C5%93to%20eat%20arepas,%20of%20course%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%9D.%20They%20seem%20to%20understand%20this%20answer%20and%20wave%20me%20through%20the%20line.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHeat%20about%201/2%20inch%20vegetable%20oil%20in%20a%20large%20saute%20pan%20set%20over%20medium-high%20heat.%20Fry%20the%20plantain%20slices%20until%20golden%20brown%20on%20both%20sides.%20About%205%20minutes.Set%20aside%20on%20a%20paper%20towel%20lined%20plate%20to%20dry.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPlace%20two%20cups%20of%20corn%20flour%20in%20a%20mixing%20bowl.%20Add%20a%20pinch%20of%20salt%20and%20mix%20through%20with%20clean%20dry%20hands.%20Pour%20the%20water%20onto%20flour,%20mix%20well.%20As%20soon%20as%20the%20mixture%20is%20cool%20enough%20to%20handle%20knead%20together%20the%20flour%20and%20water%20until%20the%20mixture%20is%20thoroughly%20blended%20and%20there%20are%20no%20grainy%20lumps.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20the%20dough%20is%20too%20soggy%20and%20sticks%20to%20your%20fingers%20add%20more%20flour.%20If%20it%20is%20too%20dry%20add%20water.%20The%20perfect%20dough%20should%20roll%20easily%20into%20a%20large%20ball%20without%20cracking.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EDivide%20the%20dough%20into%204%20equal%20pieces%20and%20roll%20them%20into%20balls.%20Then%20pat%20it%20and%20turn%20it%20in%20your%20hands%20until%20its%20about%20half%20an%20inch%20thick%20and%20about%203-4%20inches%20across.%20It%20should%20have%20the%20classic%20flying%20saucer%20shape%20now.%20Repeat%20with%20remaining%20balls.%20Let%20the%20dough%20discs%20rest%20about%2020%20minutes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHeat%20a%20little%20oil%20in%20a%20heavy%20frying%20pan%20or%20griddle%20and%20when%20hot%20add%20the%20arepas,%20as%20many%20as%20will%20comfortably%20fit%20in%20the%20pan.%20The%20idea%20is%20to%20give%20the%20arepas%20a%20crunchy%20exterior%20(%22una%20cara%22,%20literally%20a%20face,%20as%20they%20say%20in%20Venezuela)%20so%20don't%20turn%20the%20heat%20up%20too%20high.%20When%20the%20arepas%20are%20brown%20on%20one%20side%20turn%20them%20over.%20The%20whole%20process%20should%20not%20take%20longer%20than%2010%20minutes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPreheat%20oven%20to%20250%20degrees.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPlace%20arepas%20on%20a%20baking%20tray%20at%20the%20top%20of%20the%20oven,%20then%20lower%20the%20heat%20to%20200.%20Bake%2015%20to%2020%20minutes.%20They%20should%20sound%20hollow%20when%20tapped%20with%20a%20knife%20when%20they%20are%20done.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ELet%20them%20cool%20a%20couple%20of%20minutes%20then%20make%20an%20incision%20along%20the%20outer%20edge%20of%20each%20arepa.%20The%20trick%20is%20to%20slice%20through%20the%20middle%20but%20not%20going%20all%20the%20way%20-%20and%20then%20open%20it%20up%20like%20a%20pocket%20for%20the%20filling.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFill%20with%20the%20fried%20plantains,%20cheese%20and%20avocado%20slices.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESERIOUS%20FUN%20FOOD%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EGreg%20Henry%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESippitySup%3C/p%3E){kind=link}