It is true that arepas are not a traditional product within the Canary recipes, since they are originally from Venezuela, but this does not mean that they are not widely consumed in the Archipelago. Venezuela has been considered for many years as "the ninth island" due to the great flow of emigration of Canary Islanders to the Latin country in the middle of the 19th century. Here is one of the most common arepa recipes eaten in the Canary Islands: the arepa reina pepiada recipe .
As we have already mentioned in previous articles, Canarian cuisine is made up of a multitude of recipes that are the result of the different influences that have converged in the Islands. The Canary Islands have always represented a historical stopover for maritime trade on both sides of the Atlantic, which has marked the culture of the Archipelago and also its recipes. A cuisine, above all, of seafood inspiration, which knows how to take advantage of the resources it has like no other.
The most famous dough
If there is a typical and popular pastry in Venezuela and Colombia, that is the arepa. A crunchy snack on the outside and tender on the inside that accompanies breakfasts, lunches and dinners. It has an innumerable number of fillings, from the most traditional to the most innovative. The arepa is a rounded dough made with pre-cooked corn flour, salt and water.
They are usually prepared at breakfast, but it is common to find them accompanying the rest of the meals of the day. They can be enjoyed with various accompaniments. The most common ones have different names such as reina pepiada, which we will talk about in this post, pelua, perico, rumbera, caita, among others. Their fillings, as diverse as avocado, yellow cheese; meats such as chicken or shredded beef; scrambled eggs, beans, among others.
Its history
The arepa was already prepared and consumed by the aboriginal Americans in pre-Columbian times in the current territories of Colombia and Venezuela. The food customs of these peoples are present in Creole dishes based on corn, as in this case the arepa.
The preparation of the arepa by these peoples, mainly by women, was a natural result of the production of corn, one of the most important elements in the indigenous diet. In these regions, several varieties of corn were cultivated.
How to prepare the famous arepa reina pepiada
The arepa is mainly eaten by hand as a sandwich. This characteristic filling, reina pepiada, is made with chicken, avocado and mayonnaise, so get ready to prepare them at home!
Ingredients
For twelve units, 4 persons. For the dough: 350 grams of precooked corn flour, either yellow or white; 500 milliliters of water; salt; butter for cooking. For the filling: One chicken breast; carrot, leek, celery or onion to cook with the chicken and add flavor; one ripe avocado; the juice of half a lemon; one dried garlic clove; 3 or 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise, homemade or purchased; olive oil; salt.
Elaboration of the arepa reina pepiada
The first thing we are going to do is to prepare the shredded chicken for the reina pepiada stuffing. To do this, place the chicken breast in a pot along with some vegetables, cleaned and peeled. Then cover it with water until the breast is completely submerged. Add a little salt, cover and put the fire on high temperature until it starts to boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium.
The breast should be cooked for about 20 minutes, depending on its size. Once it is ready, it is taken to a plate to cool and to be able to shred it with the help of a fork or by hand, shredding it little by little.
On the other hand, a ripe avocado should be mashed with a blender or a fork. Add the juice of half a lemon and mix it all together with the chopped garlic clove and a little olive oil. Once ready, pour the avocado mixture over the shredded chicken and mix everything well, integrating the ingredients. Next, add the mayonnaise and mix again. The chicken should be juicy. Add salt if necessary.
To prepare the dough, it is necessary to pour the corn flour into a bowl. Add salt and mix. The water should be warm. This should be poured together with the flour in the bowl and mixed well. The result should be a compact and slightly sticky dough. Once ready, let it rest for 20 minutes.
Next, make portions with the dough, rounding and flattening them to give them their characteristic shape. Once ready, they are taken to the frying pan with a little oil or butter to grill them, they can also be fried. They are cooked until the dough is golden brown.
Once ready, they should be opened to introduce the previously prepared filling and ready, you can enjoy them.
If you want to know more recipes and products from the Canary Islands, here are some links that may interest you: The best tuna straight in mojo canario; The bizcocho de Moya, a sweet of Gran Canaria; Recipe of Moors and Christians, Creole insignia.
Paula Vera
Photos: goya.com; recetasvenezolanas.org; elmundoenrecetas.com; pinterest.es.
