Ingredients
Dough
- 400 gmasarepa, precooked white maize flour
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- about 550 ml warm water
Filling
- 6eggs, at room temperature
- 150 gcooked minced beef, seasoned, optional
- salt
To fry
- neutral oil, for deep frying
To serve
- suero costeno, soured cream
- aji, chilli sauce
- black coffee
Directions
- Work slowly and keep your face well back. Use a deep pan and a slotted spoon. Never fill the pan more than halfway with oil. Keep a pan lid within easy reach. Put the masarepa and salt in a large bowl.
- Pour in the warm water gradually. Mix it with your hand as you pour. Let it stand for five minutes. Now knead it for two minutes in the bowl. Add warm water if it cracks at the edges. Shaping them takes a good deal of care. Divide the dough into six equal balls. Roll each between wet palms until smooth. Flatten each into a thin disc.
- Make them about half a centimetre thick. Thin discs puff far better than thick ones. Use a plastic sheet to press them if it helps. Pour oil into a deep pan to about seven centimetres.
- Heat the oil up to about 180C. The oil must be properly hot for the puff. Spoon hot oil over the top as it fries. That helps it to inflate evenly. Fry it for about two minutes in total. It should be pale gold, not brown. Lift it out onto kitchen paper. Do not worry if some fail to puff.
- Let each arepa cool for two minutes. It must be cool enough to handle. Cut a slit along one edge with a knife. Make it about four centimetres long. There should be a hollow pocket inside.
- Crack an egg into a small cup first. Never crack it straight into the arepa. Pour the egg carefully into the pocket. Add a pinch of salt to the egg. Add a spoonful of minced beef if you are using it. Now pinch the slit closed with wet fingers. Press a little spare dough over it to seal. The seal must hold or the egg will leak.
- Stand well back as it goes in. Fry it for three or four minutes. Turn it over once, very gently. Spoon hot oil over the top throughout. It should turn deep golden brown. Lift it out onto a wire cooling rack. Serving them is always done hot. Break one open and the egg should be just set. Serve suero costeno alongside. They must be eaten within minutes of frying.
Technique
- Luruaco in Atlantico holds an annual arepa de huevo festival and is closely identified with the dish.
- Suero costeno is a salty soured cream of the Colombian Caribbean coast and is served with a great many things there.
Substitutions
- The minced beef can be left out entirely for a plain egg version.
- There is no substitute for masarepa here, since ordinary cornmeal will not puff.
Variations
- Some stalls add seasoned minced beef alongside the egg.
- A larger version with two eggs is sold in some places.
- Arepa e huevo is often spelled without the de on the coast.
History
A Caribbean coast speciality claimed by Luruaco in Atlantico, which holds an annual festival; sold at roadside stalls from dawn.
Frequently asked questions
What is Arepa de huevo?
Arepa de huevo is a street food from Colombia: fried maize arepa split, filled with a whole egg, then fried again. A Caribbean coast speciality claimed by Luruaco in Atlantico, which holds an annual festival; sold at roadside stalls from dawn.
How long does Arepa de huevo take to make?
Arepa de huevo takes 30 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 6 arepas. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Arepa de huevo?
Yes, within limits. The minced beef can be left out entirely for a plain egg version. There is no substitute for masarepa here, since ordinary cornmeal will not puff.
What is the most important thing to get right in Arepa de huevo?
Work slowly and keep your face well back. Use a deep pan and a slotted spoon. Never fill the pan more than halfway with oil. Keep a pan lid within easy reach. Put the masarepa and salt in a large bowl.
