Arepas

Tonight for our weekly family night my kids begged me to have another culture night. After watching a diners drive in's and dives episode where Guy Fierri visited a restaurant that made venezuelan food, I knew what my theme would be for tonight. I found this recipe from picapica.com and I absolutely love Arepas now! They are very easy to make and there are so many things you can stuff in these! I chose to use my pork carnitas recipe using my crockpot, some black beans sauted in some garlic and olive oil and salt, and topped with slices of avacado. We had fun learning about Venezuela and the wonderful traditional recipes.

Arepas

1 lb. (3 1/3 cup) Harina P.A.N. (pre-cooked corn flour, other brands are Maseca or Masarepa can work too)
1 Tblsp salt
2 Tblsp vegetable shortening
4 cups of warm water

Using a mixer, add all ingredients and mix for 2 minutes until completely combined and smooth.
Keep dough covered with a moist towel and let dough rest for 10 minutes. Once rested, portion dough into a 6oz ball and flatten it as if making a burger patty or hockey puck. The arepa needs to be thick enough that it can be sliced and stuffed like a pocket. An approximate size is about 1/2" thick and 4 1/2" diameter. Set all arepa o a sheet tray.
To cook, you can put on a grill pan that has been oiled and preheated for about 5-8 minutes on each side until crisp. Or you can put in oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Using a small serrated knife, slice through the middle halfway, making sure that the bottom part is not sliced open. Stuff generously with your favorite filling and serve immediately. EnJOY!