Venezuelan Arepas with a Twist!

If you’re not of Latin decent you may not know what an Arepa is! Well, neither did I until my beautiful Venezuelan “cousin-in-law” Betza made them for me. An Arepa is sort of a latin style English Muffin, or a cross between a pancake and a tortilla. They are made with ground maize and have a wonderful crisp exterior and an almost creamy and light center that is stuffable! Arepas can be eaten any time of day and can be stuffed with ham, cheese, eggs, avocado, shredded pork or chicken, or even just some butter! They are simple enough in flavor that you can pretty much put anything and everything inside! I of course had to put my own “Got Room For More” spin on it! My version is reminiscent of your favorite deli Bacon Egg and Cheese, however the bacon is candied, yes candied! I add some creamy, earthy avocado, melty gouda cheese, gooey fried egg and to tie it all together, a spicy, creamy Chipotle Crema. It is everything you want in a brunch dish! Sweet, savory, spicy , crunchy and creamy all in one! Feel free to make just the Arepas and stuff them with your own choice of fillings, but be sure to tag me @gotroomformore so I can see your incredible creations!

Serves 4 (One arepa per person)

Ingredients-

Betza’s Arepas-

• Roughly 2 Cups of Water (you may need to add a little more depending on the texture of the dough)

• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

• 1/4 Teaspoon White Granulated Sugar

• 1 & 1/2 cups Harina PAN (ground maize) (this is NOT regular cornmeal)

• Nonstick cooking spray or Canola Oil

(Filling Ingredients and steps below)

Arepa Steps-

1. (If you are making the candied bacon start it before you start making the arepas)

2. In a medium bowl stir together the water, salt and sugar. Gradually pour in the Harina PAN and using your hands mix everything together until a dough starts to form. You want the dough to be soft, moist and malleable. If it is very lumpy, wet your hands and continue to knee to dough between your fingers until everything is nice and smooth. (Add more water or Harina as needed)

3. Preheat the oven to 350F.

4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Heat up a nonstick skillet or griddle pan on medium heat while you form the arepas. Roll each portion of dough in your hands into a nice, soft ball shape. Using your finger tips and palm gently flatten down the ball into a smooth disc about 3/4 inch thick. Wet your fingers to smooth everything out and make sure there are no cracks or lumps.

5. When the pan is nice and hot spray it with nonstick cooking spray or coat the pan with a little oil. Use a paper towel the spread the oil around and make sure there is not a lot of excess. You just want a slight coating on the pan. Place the arepas on the hot pan and cook on that side about 5-6 minutes or until it is golden brown and has a nice crust, then flip with a spatula. Cook on the second side another 5 minutes until golden brown, then transfer the arepas to a sheet pan.

6. Place the sheet pan with the arepas in the preheated oven and bake about 20-25 minutes or until the center is cooked through. The center should be moist but not super doughy.

7. When they’re done, use a sharp knife to slice half way through the arepas horizontally to create a little pocket. Then stuff them with your favorite fillings and enjoy!

Danielle’s Candied Bacon-

Ingredients-

Serves 3-4 people

• 8 Slices of Thick Cut, Smoked Bacon

• 3 Tablespoons of Packed Dark Brown Sugar

• 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder

• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Mustard Powder

• 1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

• 1/8 Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper

• 2-3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

Preheat the oven to 375F.

1. Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top of the sheet pan and generously spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Mix the brown sugar, mustard powder, chili powder, black pepper, and paprika together using a spoon or your fingers. Take that spice rub and generously encrust both sides of each piece of bacon. Place the slices of bacon on the rack (that is on top of a sheet pan, the sheet pan will catch all the grease drippings).

3. Place the bacon in the oven and bake about 20 minutes or until the bacon is nice and golden brown and has begun to crisp up. Check on it periodically, cooking times can vary based on the thickness of the bacon and the fat content.

4. Remove the bacon from the oven and use a basting brush to brush the tops of the bacon with the maple syrup. Lower the oven to 350F.

5. Place the bacon back in the oven for 5-8 more minutes or until the maple syrup caramelizes on the outside of the bacon. Let the bacon cool for at least 15 minutes or until it is more dry to the touch. Then enjoy inside your Arepa or on its own!

Chipotle Crema-

Ingredients-

• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

• 1 Tablespoon Chipotle in Adobo (comes in a small can, I just use the sauce, however if you like a lot of heat your can also chop up some of the peppers that are in the can)

• 2-3 Teaspoons of Lime Juice

• 1 Teaspoon Honey

• Pinch of Salt

Steps-

1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the cream and that is it! Simple! Spread inside your arepa or dollop on top of tacos, chili, eggs, etc!

Other suggested Arepa Stuffings-

• Sliced or Shredded Gouda Cheese

• Sliced Ripe Avocado

• Fried Eggs (slightly runny yolk)

• Black Beans (serve them on the side or inside!)

Assembling the Arepas-

To assemble, fill the pocket of the arepa when it is nice and hot! Add a slice of gouda cheese, pieces of candied bacon, the fried egg, sliced avocado and a dollop of the Chipotle Crema inside!

This is surely become a part of your weekend breakfast or brunch rotation!