Bring Latin flavor to your table
They are a must-have for meals in Venezuela and Colombia. The arepas, round and flat, are made with precooked white corn flour, water and salt; a dough that we can now find in more and more restaurants.
They can be prepared roasted, fried or baked and you can fill them with whatever you want. Thus, for Latin American lands, it takes a different name according to its filling; the Viuda, consisting of a single arepa that can be smeared with butter; the popular Reina Pepiada, of shredded chicken, mayonnaise and avocado; Pelua stuffed with roasted meat and yellow cheese (gouda); Perico, based on a scrambled egg, tomato and onion and consumed mainly during breakfast; or the Gringa, using the arepa as a hamburger bun.
The difference between a Venezuelan and a Colombian arepa is that the first is always filled, while the second is consumed as bread during meals. Also interesting to know is that arepas are suitable for celiacs because they don’t contain gluten.
Give your cooking a touch of Latin flavor with these Arepas «Reina Pepiada».
Ingredients for 4 arepas
For the arepas
- 200 g of precooked white cornmeal
- 100 ml of water
- Pinch of salt
For the «Reina Pepiada»
- 450 g of cooked chicken
- 2 avocados
- ½ chopped purple onion
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- Lime juice
- Chopped cilantro
- Salt and black pepper
Elaboration step by step
- In a bowl, pour the water, the pinch of salt and the corn flour. Mix with your hands until you get a soft dough that does not stick on your fingers. Divide the dough into four balls.
- With slightly wet hands, flatten the balls giving a rounded shape that should be around a centimeter and a half thick (approximately one finger).
- Heat a pan or a griddle, add a drop of oil to prevent sticking and cook the arepas for about 10 minutes on each side at medium temperature.
- Meanwhile, crumble the chicken with your hands to get strands and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
- Remove the arepas from the griddle, open them in half and fill them with the «Reina Pepiada».
To talk about water and wine or vice versa is to talk about the best avenues of gastronomy, something that praises or that, like coffee, can spoil the best of the agapes.
We speak on this occasion of a pure Albariño wine, this is the Lusco Albariño, where aromas of ripe fruit are mixed with the notes of laurel and a small reduction that gives it more complexity. Next to it, an Acqua Panna, with a balanced, fresh, subtle and elegant flavor.
A water that respects the great and accompanies them while maintaining its flavor. Everything conspires to bring more flavor to arepas, chicken and avocado and that homemade mayonnaise that also gives a certain acidity to corn flour, sometimes a little heavy, but very tasty.
Untouchability with a light meat and some fresh flavors at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the most gastronomic season in the Northern Hemisphere.
Tips
- If you use warm water, the dough will integrate better.
- You can substitute a part of water for milk. In addition, you can add an egg to the recipe adding flavor.
- If you are going to consume them as bread, add a cheese like gouda and they will be irresistible.
Don’t miss this Marinated Salmon, here you can find the step by step recipe!