A flattened bun similar to a flapjack made from corn meal or wheat flour, stuffed with meat, seafood or cheese and baked on a griddle. May be used instead of tortillas and just served alongside a dish or stuffed. Can also be an omelette. Originally from Colombia and Venezuela.
Arepas are a type of bread made from corn, most commonly consumed in Latin American communities daily (most notably Venezuala and Colombia). Some people add cheese or butter to their Arepas, some eat them plain, and some people experiment by adding any foods they enjoy eating. People are constantly transforming the classic Arepas recipe by experimenting with new ingredients.
The name Arepa itself is derived from the word erepa, which is considered to have originated from Cumaná, a Caribbean language off the Venezuela coast. Erepa in Cumaná means corn, which makes sense.
To make arepas one can mix dried precooked corn meal with a little bit of water and salt. Once dough consistency is reached it is shaped into circular patties typically about ¼-inch thick and 4-6 inches wide. Then there are numerous cooking styles one can choose from; the two most common styles, however, are on a griddle or in an oven. Once the Arepas are crispy and the outside is golden brown, they are then ready to serve plain or one can add a variety of fillings and toppings. (Blazes)
Lexicographer:
Claudia Lichtenberg, Tulane University
Works Cited
"Arepa." Merriam-Webster.
Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arepa>.
Blazes, Marian. "Venezuelan Style Arepas." About.com South American Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/breads/r/Venezuelan-Style-Arepas.htm>.
"HISTORY OF THE AREPA." HISTORY OF THE AREPA. Adriana Lopez, 2013. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. http://picapica.com/blog/2011/05/history-of-the-arepa/
MAROUND, P. H. "RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF VENEZUELAN AREPA DOUGH FROM PRE COOKED CORN FLOUR." N.p., 1984. Web. Oct.-Nov. 2013. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=10&sid=b62ed17b-2dee-426e-9ee6-e721eaeea97a%40sessionmgr114&hid=112&bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=bxh&AN=BACD198478010669>.
