Venezuelan Corn Bread

If you’re still curious about the corn bread, and you like to experiment you can buy the pre cooked maize flour (Harina Pan) in some places here in London, one of them, and probably the easiest one is Las Iguanas, yes the Latin American bar. The recipe is quite easy, the tricky part is to do some of the fillings like the Reina Pepeada or the Shredded beef while others like the cheddar cheese is simply grated or shredded cheddar cheese.

Authentic Venezuelan pre cooked maize flour

How to make arepas.

The recipe is quite simple for every cup of flour put a cup and a little bit more of water, add salt and knead the dough until is soft and not sticky. When the dough is ready take a small portion and make a ball with your hands, then flatten it into a disc shape or UFO if you fancy more science fiction theme.

Starting the mix: Flour and Salt

Dough ready

Arepa ready to be cooked

Now you have a couple options, you can bake it, fried, or put it in a hot plate / griddle. My favourite one is fried, not so healthy to be honest but quite tasty. Be sure is cooked uniformly by the two sides.

Nothing better than fried

Then add butter, cheese, ham, or anything you want. I usually do a Reina Pepeada, which is boiled chicken, then shredded it and add almost ripe avocado and prepare a butter style mix with the chicken, also you can add a touch of mayo, or a more simple one like the Caprese which is mozzarella di bufala, tomato and basil.

Now ready for the final preparation

Caprese style, ready to roll

Bread reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Rye” where George is trying to replace the marble rye his dad took back from a dinner with the future in laws.

George: Hold on. Hold on. Wait a minute. How am I gonna get the rye bread into the apartment?

Jerry: Just put it under your shirt.

George: Have you ever seen a Schnitzer's rye? It's huge!

Jerry: I'll tell you what, I'll bring it over. I'll stop by Schnitzer's, I'll come by five after seven right after they leave.

George: Oh, this is all locking in now. It is all locking in!