So…repas? What’s the difference between sopes and arepas?

Inspired by a NYT article, I was determined to make arepas – corn patties that are a staple in Venezuela and Colombia, which are often stuffed with a variety of fillings. I also have fond memories of the mozzarepas sold at every street fair in NYC and on Coney Island. Unlike the article, I wanted to make a more simple and traditional version, with the addition of whole corn kernels, and then stuff or top them with all the flavorful goodies. I went out looking for masarepa, or masa precodico al instante, which is the corn flour that is used for arepas, and apparently different than the regular masa harina used for tortillas. Alas, all I could find was masa harina for tortillas, though it did say “al instante”, so I decided to give it a whirl. I mixed the flour with some salt, hot water and butter, then let it rest for 15 minutes before stirring in the corn kernels. I shaped the dough into balls, flattened them to about 1/4 inch thick, and pan fried them in some vegetable oil. However, they didn’t puff up like the recipes I read said arepas would, and they were hard to cut open and stuff with the black beans and other ingredients I was hoping to fill them with. I ended up topping them with oaxaca cheese, black beans and avocado and they were yummy – but I realized they were like Mexican sopes. And what’s the difference, really? They are both essentially corn cakes (or thick tortillas), topped or sandwiched with the same things you might put in a tortilla, although the sopes are shaped like little cups. Ok, so the masa probably has something to do with it, and if I find the PAN masa para arepas, I will certainly try to make them again and compare the results. Whatever you call what I made, they were tasty and I really like the addition of whole corn baked in. You can also refrigerate the uncooked patties for a few days and cook them when you’re ready, topping them with different goodies every time. I think next time I might try mixing a couple other ingredients into the dough, like some cheese, chile, or other spices. These would be a fun party food, you can fry up the corn patties and put out a variety of toppings for people to mix and match on their “so-repas”.

Ingredients:

1 cup masa harina

1 cup hot water

2 tbs melted butter

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup cooked corn kernels

Toppings

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