# Colombian Arepas - Corn flour Cheese Pancakes



## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

@ Joey;

Joey ( Durangojo ) had contacted me for a recipe and here is the one that is non fail.

Traditional Colombian Arepas

10 to 12 pancakes

1 cup Masa Arepa - Arepa Flour or Masa Precocida ( Precooked Corn Flour for Arepas )

1 cup queso fresco ( vaca o cabra ) - Fresh cheese cow or goat variety; A Ricotta Type

1 cup water

2 tblsps water

1/4 cup corn or vegetable or delicate light extra virgin olive oil

2 tablesp. sugar

1) mix the arepa flour, cheese sugar and 1/8 tsp salt in a bowl

2) put 1 cup water and mix until the water is incorporated into the flour

3) let stand 1 to 2 minutes until water is absorbed and a soft dough forms

4) take 3 tblsps of dough and create a ball in your hands and flatten with your palms. Gently press and form 1/4 inch patties which shall become a 2 1/2 Inch thin pancake

and repeat process for all the dough that you have

5)  heat oil on medium low heat and fry in batches

6) turn over the pancakes only once

7) when the pancakes are golden brown on each side, they are ready

8) drain the oil and place on paper towels

9) can be served with marmalade of choice and / or tropical fruit

and café liquor and café

M.C.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

margcata,

thanks so much for your recipe..it's similar to how i make them but i add frozen corn and sometimes cilantro and/or scallions and lots of ooey gooey cheese(mozzarella), or sometimes ricotta...i like to make them smaller to serve as appetizers...here is my quandry...as you know, i am in mexico...what is amazing to me is that in a country where corn is king they do not have cornmeal...they don't even have a word for it i'm told. the mexicans have all been very patient with me and somewhat curious as to what exactly i am trying to find and what am i going to do with it if i find it... trying to explain arepas hasn't been easy....at home i use arepa flour...the closest that i have seen here is masa harina...will that work or is it too fine? do you know what they would possibly call it or how i can better explain arepas?...thanks again margcata for your time and your language skills!!

joey


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Friday

10.30am Madrid time

@ Joey Durangojo,

HARINA and MASA both mean Flour - corn flour. Ask for this. Arepas are not Mexican via tradition. They are Colombian and Venezuelan in root.

So, ask for: masa y harina de maiz ... fino = fine ...

This should work fine ...

I love ur recipe for them too. You make them savoury and I make them sweet !

I had learnt to make them when I used to live on South Miami Beach in the 1980s. A dear friend´s hubby is Colombian. He made them like you too ... Thanx for your recipe and have fun in Mexico.

I wish I were in Mexico ! I love Tulum on Rivera de Maya and have dear chef and caterer friend in Acapulco. She is also an authoress of a book called: The Legacy of Mexican Cuisine in English ...

Her name is: Susanna Palazuelos ... She has prepared Mexican cuisine for Embassies and Royal Families around the world. You should get her book through www.amazon.com ( do search for Susanna Palazuelos ) ... She also has a restaurant in Acapulco.

On Columbian recipes; I would check Amazon too --- Many have been translated from emigrants living in Miami and some are Soap Opera Stars from the telenovelas, the soap operas in Spanish on Telemundo TV in Miami.

Kind regards.

Margaux


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Here in the states(especially Florida) the Arepas are a very big hi-profit item.  Put on a grill and served with a slice of mozzerella cheese  $3.00 to $5.00 each depending on what venue you are at. The whole dish must cost 50 cents. So a great markup and easy.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

hey margcata,

i just had a thougt!..... what do they use to make their corn tortillas with? that would be what i want right? maiz de harina no?.i think i saw that but it seemed like it was too fine to me..i like it a little coarser, but hey, when in rome, right?...i love telemundo soaps... susan lucci has nothing on them for drama!!!  senor loco is pretty funny too!...i will also go to the tortillaria manana and ask them what type of flour they use for there yellow corn tortillas and buy that....will let you know how it works out....thanks again.....now i'm jazzed that i will be able to make them for this party after all..whoohoo!!

joey


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## colombochute (May 18, 2011)

@durangojo

To answer your question, "harina" means "flour" and and "masa" means "dough", so "masa harina" would mean "flour for dough", which most probably fits your needs...


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

You can buy masa pre-mixed, which is what most Mexicans do.  Typically you don't buy from a super, but from a bakery or tortilla maker.  As you already know, arepas aren't particularly Mexican -- especially on the west coast. 

BDL


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

like a dog with a bone, i'm not giving up til i've exhausted all reasonable possibilities or til i'm exhausted! off now to see what i can find..

colombochute...since i'm getting it from the horse's mouth, i will take your suggestion if i can't find maiz para polenta, or maiz de harina

bdl...yes i know that arepas are not particular to mexico, but i know that corn is!!   the 'super ley' as most mercados in mexico has a bakery and a tortilla shop in house...you can watch and smell the corn tortillas as they come off the griddle...that's kinda of what made me think of it in the first place....you know...where there are corn tortillas, there is corn...where there is corn, there is ground corn....will let you know of my find..... Ay, ay, ay ay.....

joey


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Harina por arepas colombianas ( fina, de maiz y masa precocida )

Just ask for this Joey.

Flour for Colombian arepas ( fine, of corn and precooked )

Write this down and go to shop ...

All my best.

Margi


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

what i ended up with is harina de maiz nixtamalizado, amarillo which from what information i can find nixtamalzado is the cooking process....think it will work just fine, but obviously won't be the same as cornmeal...making them manana so will post the results...thank you all for your input.....oh, here is my next question...what is the difference between what i bought and tamale flour? or is there any?...just packaging?  from the looks of the bag it appears to be the same, but i just went with what i knew.....also found harina de maiz in azul...that will be cool i think, but for another time....thanks again all...

joey


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

@ Joey, Durangjo,

Tamal Flour is a Mexican Spanish word and Nixta is Aztec, however they are the same thing, corn flour for tamales. Regional difference in applying the Colloquial terms, nothing more.

Good luck with the Arepas.

I am sure they shall come out better than good.

Which cheese did you purchase ?

Have lovely wkend in San Carlos, Bajo California.

Margcata


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

margaux,

not to be outdone by beef, the array of mexican cheeses can be just as daunting and confusing, and just as everywhere some have very specific uses...blanco, cojita, fresco, panela, oaxaca, asadero, criollo, edam, manchego, chihuahua, just to name a few.....what i ended up using is a mixture of oaxaca, mozzarella and cojita...couldn't find requeson which is similar to ricotta, so just went with a mix...

thanks for the the tamale flour info...the man at the super told me that one flour was specifically for tamales and one specifically for tortillas, even though to me they seemed to be the same...the tamale bag had a picture of tamales on the package and the tortilla flour did not..who am i to argue? i was the one asking the questions and i would never even think of embarrassing someone who is trying to help me!!!!...... is there a spanish word for oy vey?!!!!! thanks again...enjoy your weekend as well

joey


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

@ Joey,

I am sure that ur Arepas Mexicanas shall come out fine !  You truly are quite a gal ... Afterall, it is so much more simple to cook Mexican cuisine than Colombian when in Mexico !

I believe Boar may know:

I am paternally Italian and maternally Swiss French, and do not know what the common Jewish expression you mention in the previous post translates to actually. Sorry.

Have nice wkend.  What time are u preparing the arepas ? Drop a note Sunday and let us know how they turn out --- Thanx,

Kind regards.

Margi C.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

thus, 'the arepasito' is born as a nod to both cultures...huge hit...just for grins next time i will try it with harina de maiz 'azul'....

carnival here this week, as in lots of catholic countries with musica pouring out of every cafe, palapa, casita, window and street corner.  where there is musica there is dancing and singing and drinking and eating and laughing...into the wee hours.... in vino veritas!... la vida es bueno!

joey


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Oy Vey is an exclamation like Oh My God  or  Holy S---. It is used so much in some places that it has gone far beyond it's jewish roots. Everyone uses it here.


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