Step 1

You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.First, pour the warm water into a large bowl with the salt and gradually sprinkle in the pre-cooked corn flour (masarepa), stirring between each addition.

Step 2

When it's cool enough to handle, use your hands to gently knead it for a minute, then allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. When ready, it should be moist but not sticky.If the dough is too dry (cracking a lot when shaping), add a little more water. If it's too wet, add more flour (the flour brand, climate, and humidity can all affect this).

Step 3

Next, divide the arepa dough into 6 portions (about 110-120 grams per arepa) and roll each into a ball before flattening them into disks about 1/2-3/4-inch (1,5-2 cm) thick.If any small cracks appear, use wet fingers to gently pat them until smooth (refer to the video for visual guidance).

Step 4

Heat a large non-stick pan (or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and add a swirl of oil. Working with 3 arepas at a time, cook them for about 5 minutes per side until they are golden brown on both sides.If you want the arepas to be very crispy, then bake them in the oven for 10 minutes at 360 °F/ 180 °C.

Step 5

Finally, allow them to cool for just a few minutes before cutting each arepa (a serrated knife works best while holding the warm arepas with a kitchen towel) about ¾ of the way around to create a pocket and stuff them with all your favorite fillings (see below). Enjoy!