Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen, cooked
- 1 cup low-fat milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 7 ounces store-bought polenta
- 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
- 1 cup mozzarella, grated
- small bunch of cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 green chile, seeded and finely chopped
- butter or oil, for cooking
For the filling
- 1 x 14-ounce can black beans, drained
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
For the salsa
- 14 ounces tomatoes, chopped
- 2 avocados, chopped
- 1 mango, chopped
- 1 green chile, seeded and chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 8 radishes, finely sliced
- a small bunch of cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and heat a plate to keep the arepas warm.
- Put the corn in a blender and add the milk. Pulse until the corn is coarsely ground.
- Pour into a saucepan over medium–high heat and add the butter. Heat until the milk is just boiling. Cool a little.
- Put the polenta in a bowl and mix in the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Add the mozzarella, cilantro, and chile.
- Stir in the milk mixture (the polenta will absorb some of the liquid). Season. You’ll have a thick pancake batter, not a pouring batter.
- Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl. Mix the salsa ingredients together and season well.
- Melt a small pat of butter in a large frying pan. Spoon in 3 tablespoons of batter to make a pancake about 5 inches in diameter and 1-1/4-inch thick.
- Press down gently using a spatula and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.
- Flip over and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep warm.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as necessary. When ready, split an arepa through the center without cutting right through, then fill with the bean mixture or pile beans on top of the arepa. Serve with the salsa.
More from Flipping Good Pancakes:
Reprinted with permission from Flipping Good Pancakes by Sudi Pigott and published by Kyle Books, 2018.
Flipping Good Pancakes (Kyle Books, 2018) by Sudi Pigott takes inspiration from countries all over the world to create her dynamic pancakes perfect for any meal. Readers can enjoy creating recipes from more than 25 different countries perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time, and even dessert. Pigott encourages adventuring into new territory with pancakes by preparing and eating them throughout the week and venturing beyond your typical pancakes with sugar and syrup and trying traditional recipes from countries like Japan, Sri Lankan and many more.
These Colombian and Venezuelan pancakes are usually made from cornmeal and stuffed with cheese or served as a savory “sandwich,” brimming with chicken and avocado, chorizo, plantain, or black beans. The Venezuelans favor a thicker, rounded, palm-shaped arepa, split open and filled, whereas the Colombians prefer larger, floppier arepas that fold around fillings. Ideally, use a yellow or white masarepa maize flour that is precooked (found in Colombian and Caribbean stores; a make called PAN Harina is popular). If you can’t find it, instant polenta works too and gives a rather appealing coarser texture, although the arepas don’t end up so fluffy and thick.
