Arepas para el estómago

Arepas are a popular dish throughout South America. Each country has its own take on how the arepa should be made. Arepas are especially popular in Venezuela, where they are the people's daily bread — they accompany every meal throughout the day and can even serve as a main dish. You can stuff an arepa with just about anything to suit your taste, from chicken, cheese, ham and shredded beef to a simple spread of butter.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Harina P.A.N. (boiled white corn flour that can be found at most supermarkets; substitute fine cornmeal ground in a blender if you can't find any)

2 1/2 cups of water

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of corn oil

A separate bowl of water for dough shaping

Choice of filling (chicken, cheese, ham, beef, butter, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and have an oiled pan ready on the stove at medium heat. In a large mixing bowl mix together the water, corn oil and salt. Slowly begin to add the Harina P.A.N. or cornmeal into the mix and knead it continuously, until you have incorporated the entire two cups. The mixture should reach a smooth, doughy consistency.

Grab a baseball-sized amount of dough and roll it into a ball. Slowly start pressing down so that the ball takes on a saucer shape, but leave it an inch thick. The saucer-shaped dough should be perfectly round. If it is not, dip your hand in the bowl of water and round the edges. Repeat this with the rest of the dough.

Place the dough rounds on the oiled pan over heat. Each side should be cooked for a full five minutes. The arepas should look golden and appear to have a crispy texture.

After browning each side, place the arepas in the oven for seven minutes. Once they are ready, wait a few minutes for them to cool down. Then, cut them in half and stuff with your choice of filling. For breakfast, consider stuffing them with eggs cooked to your liking, or try a ham-and-cheese arepa for lunch instead of a plain sandwich.

If you want to save some arepas for later, cook them on the oiled pan but do not put them in the oven. They can be kept pre-cooked in zip-top bags in the fridge until they are ready to be put in the oven for the required seven minutes, stuffed, and served hot. Save the extra dough for buttered arepas as a nice complement to a pasta dinner.