What’s something else I can make to work my way through a large bag of masa? Arepas. Just think of them as Venezuelan unfilled pupusas. They can be enjoyed hot out of the pan and slathered with butter as a quick snack, or more commonly, split open and filled (with anything your heart desires, really). The first time I had an arepa was during my first trip to New York City at the Caracas Arepa Bar. The “Reina Pepiada” stole my heart—avocado and chicken. Because of the lack of Venezuelan establishments both here in Vancouver and back in Edmonton, arepas since then have been few and far between. So, when faced with that bag of masa, a desire to spread my wings beyond pupusas and fond memories of Venezuela’s version of a sandwich, arepas trumped cereal.
Arepas
I followed this very easy recipe and had no troubles. I filled mine with smashed avocado, pecorino (my stand in for salty South American cheese) and cherry tomatoes tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. But, that’s just me. Go crazy. Use an arepa to hold your hamburger. Ditch the English muffin and use an arepa the next time you do homemade breakfast sandwiches. Mmmmm… peanut butter and honey.
