I love arepas, but the only ones i’ve encountered are the ones you find at the fair or rock festival with a slice of swiss in the middle. Large and filling, the arepas found at such places are more fluff than substance. These are more of a cheesey corn cake, the added chives gives it a subtle savory note that is divine. We served this with pernil, a Puerto Rican pulled pork to round out a brunch we put on with friends. The guests had an alternative option to cornmeal waffles and served the meal topped with guava infused syrup.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup arepa flour (precooked cornmeal)
- 1 cup grated mozzarella (1/4 pound)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tablespoon chives, chopped
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
PREPARATION
- Toss together arepa flour, cheese, chives and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then stir in water until incorporated. Let stand until enough water is absorbed for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).
- Form 3 level tablespoons dough into 1 ball and flatten between
your palms, gently pressing to form a 1/4-inch-thick patty (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide), then gently press around side to eliminate cracks. Transfer to a wax-paper-lined surface. Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, transferring to wax-paper-lined surface. 
Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry arepas in 2 batches, turning over once, until deep golden in patches, 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Drain on paper towels.
Scraping The Bowl 