When we talk about arepas, we normally think of a kind of roasted and circular bread made from corn dough, very popular in countries like Venezuela and Colombia. However, over time, the arepa concept has been extended to preparations of any ingredient, as long as it retains the round shape of the original arepa.
One of the most appreciated variations is that of this recipe for healthy yucca arepas. You can prepare them only from this tuber, but in many places like Colombia and other Caribbean countries, they add cheese to majada yucca. Of course, this version is much more delicious and, for this reason, it is the one that we share with you this time. Here we tell you how to make yucca arepas easily and step by step.
Ingredients to make Arepas de yucca:
- 1½ kilograms of yucca or cassava
- 350 grams of fresh cheese
- Salt to taste
How to make yucca arepas:
Before preparing the arepas, you need to boil all the yucca, so start by removing all the skin. Boil with enough water and a little salt. It is preferable that it be a little simple, because later you will correct the salt in the dough. The boiling time depends on each type of yucca. However, try to choose one that cooks in a short time. Meanwhile, you can grate the cheese. The thickness of the grating depends on your taste. When the yucca is soft, turn off the heat and drain a little, but do not let it cool completely. Remove the thickest fiber that runs down the middle of the root. Then, mash all the yucca with a fork or a raisin. You can also grate on the coarse side of the grater. Try to make it as thin as possible.
Once you have pureed all the yucca, mix it with the grated cheese and knead well. To give greater consistency and hardness, add wheat flour, but it is not essential and you can avoid it if you follow a diet without refined flours or without gluten. In this case, we do not use it. By the way, don’t forget to taste the dough to check the salt level. Take small portions and form the arepas de yucca with cheese. Try to make them thin because since they do not have an ingredient that gives them more firmness, if you make them thicker they can break because they are soft. Grease a frying pan with a little oil and grill the arepas just like corn arepas. When they have a slightly golden skin, turn them over. This may take 3-5 minutes over medium heat. It does not require more time, remember that the yucca is already cooked. Serve it accompanied with the ingredient that you like the most, just as you would with the traditional corn flour arepas. You can also eat them alone because the cheese gives them a delicious taste or fill them with a queen pepiada filling of chicken and avocado.
