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Arepa andina de trigo
Arepa de trigo: soft, puffy wheat-flour arepas from the Andes of Mérida and Táchira
Up in Mérida and Táchira, where wheat grows on the terraced slopes, breakfast arepas are made from flour rather than corn: thick, lightly sweet griddle cakes that puff as they cook and split open like a scone. Andean families eat them hot with butter, a slab of smoked or fresh white cheese and a mug of milky coffee, often beside a bowl of pisca. Most commercial white cheeses are made with animal rennet, so look for one labelled vegetarian if that matters to you. The usual mistake is a griddle that is too hot, which scorches the outside before the thick centre has cooked through. Chef's tip: knead only until smooth and rest the dough for 15 minutes; overworked dough gives tough, flat arepas.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoft
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ cups whole milklukewarm
To serve
- 5 ½ oz fresh white cheese (optional)sliced; vegetarian if needed
- 1 oz butter (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp sugar in a large bowl. Rub in 2 ⅛ oz butter with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.
5 minStep 2: Beat 1 egg into 1 ¼ cups whole milk, pour it into the flour and mix with a spoon, then your hand, into a soft dough. Knead for 2–3 minutes on a lightly floured surface just until smooth, then cover and rest for 15 minutes.
20 minStep 3: Divide into 8 pieces, roll each into a ball and flatten to discs about 1.5 cm thick and 10 cm across.
5 minStep 4: Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan over a medium-low heat with no oil. Cook the arepas in batches for 6–8 minutes a side, until they have risen, are speckled golden-brown and sound hollow when tapped. If they brown in under 4 minutes, turn the heat down.
28 minStep 5: Split them while hot and serve with 5 ½ oz fresh white cheese and 1 oz butter.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arepa andina de trigo take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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