Arepa

Arepa is a corn-dough patty that provides a savory canvas onto which you can paint any number of delicious toppings: cheese, shredded chicken, crisped pork skin, perico, beef, tomato, avocado. It's the most beautiful thing to come out of Venezuela and Colombia since all those Miss Universe winners.

The arepa is a flat, round, unleavened patty made of soaked, ground kernels of maize, or—more frequently nowadays—maize meal or maize flour which can be grilled, baked, fried, boiled or steamed. The characteristics vary by color, flavor, size, and the food with which it may be stuffed, depending on the region. It can be topped or filled with meat, eggs, tomatoes, salad, cheese, shrimp, or fish depending on the meal.

Various sizes, maize types, and added ingredients are used to vary its preparation. It is similar in shape to the Mexican gordita and the Salvadoran pupusa.