Crispy Stuffed Arepas

Ingredients

• 2 cup precooked cornmeal (P.A.N. type)
• 2 cup water (warm)
• 250 g Manaba cheese (shredded; can be substituted with queso costeño or mozzarella)
• 2 tbsp butter (for the dough and for browning)
• salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar (optional to balance the flavor)
• 300 g beef (cooked and shredded (leftovers from broth or stew))
• 3 tomatillos (charred for the sauce)
• 0.5 white onion (charred)
• 2 cloves garlic (charred)
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo (to taste for the sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Shred the leftover protein (in this case, beef from a broth) until you get fine strips.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, place the cornmeal, shredded Manaba cheese, salt, sugar, a portion of the butter, and the water.

3. 3

   Mix all the ingredients by hand to form a ball and knead until you achieve a homogeneous, uniform dough without lumps.

4. 4

   Divide the dough into portions of approximately 100 grams each, form balls, and let them rest for a few minutes.

5. 5

   For the sauce, char (roast on a griddle or skillet without oil) the tomatillos, onion, and garlic cloves until they are slightly burnt on the outside.

6. 6

   Transfer the charred vegetables to a blender along with the chipotle chili in adobo and blend until you get a smooth sauce.

7. 7

   Mix some of the red sauce with the shredded beef and adjust the salt if necessary.

8. 8

   Take a ball of dough, flatten it into a bowl shape with your hands, and fill it with a portion of cheese and the prepared shredded beef.

9. 9

   Carefully close the dough over the filling and shape it into a disc (arepa), ensuring there are no cracks where the filling could leak out.

10. 10

    Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat with a little butter.

11. 11

    Place the arepas in the skillet and brown them well on both sides until they are crispy and the cheese inside has completely melted.

12. 12

    Serve the arepas hot accompanied by the rest of the red sauce and a coffee with milk.

Notes

Manaba cheese is a traditional Ecuadorian cheese, but it can be replaced with any cheese that melts well and has a salty touch. If the dough feels dry when shaping the arepas, add an additional splash of water.

Nutrition per serving

• arepas
• breakfast
• dinner
• latin food
• leftovers
• shredded beef
• gluten-free