From Luis C. Cote, Acquisition Manager
“Every region in Colombia has a different type of arepa. My parents used to send me arepas from Bucaramanga to Bogotá so I could taste a piece of home.”
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
DOUGH
500 g | 16 oz arepa flour (precooked corn flour)
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
SPINACH FILLING
125 g | 4 oz quinoa
30 g | 1 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
MUSHROOM FILLING
150 g | 8 oz seasonal, local mushroooms, sliced
250 ml | 8 fl oz milk
60 g | 2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 handful fresh chives, chopped
Truffle oil to taste
PREPARATION
For the dough, combine arepa flour and salt in a bowl. Add warm water. Knead the dough a few times and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten. Cook in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden brown (6–8 minutes per side).
Filling option 1 (Spinach): Boil water in a small saucepan. Add salt and quinoa. When water is absorbed, transfer to a bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, and avocado to the bowl and mix to combine. Add the lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Filling option 2 (Mushroom): Melt half of the butter in a medium pot. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Remove after cooked. Add the rest of the butter and the flour to the pot. Whisk until the flour is toasted. Add the milk. Whisk continuously to avoid lumps. Add the parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked mushrooms. Top with chopped chives and truffle oil.
Split the arepas and stuff with the desired filling.
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