Can you make arepa with wheat flour? Of course! In Venezuela and Colombia the word “arepa” is always associated with a round corn cake. This association is not free: colonial records indicate that the indigenous people who lived in the territory of these countries used that word to refer to corn foods. However, in the area of the Venezuelan Andes, a version of this dish based on wheat flour emerged in the 19th century. Currently, Andean or wheat arepas are commonly accepted as a gastronomic manifestation of this region.
Do you dare to try these incredible wheat arepas? They are very easy to do! You just have to follow the simple instructions that we propose to know how to make wheat flour arepas.
Ingredients to make Arepas of wheat flour:
- 250 grams of self-rising flour
- 5 grams of baking powder if the flour is all-purpose (Royal type yeast)
- 120 grams of liquid milk
- 1 egg
- 3 grams of salt
- 15 grams of butter or margarine
- 10 grams of sugar
How to make wheat flour Arepas:
To prepare the wheat arepas, place the self-rising flour and the other dry ingredients in a bowl.
Remember: if the flour is all-purpose, you need to add the baking powder.
Add the egg and butter or margarine at room temperature. Mix a little and add the milk. You can make the wheat flour arepas with whole or semi-skimmed milk. Incorporate all the ingredients until you obtain a more or less homogeneous paste. It is normal to have some crumbs still dry. Transfer it to a table and work it for 5-7 minutes.
Thanks to the kneading, the dough will become completely homogeneous, with a smooth and elastic appearance. Let it rest for 30 minutes so that the gluten relaxes and you can spread it. After the time, flour the table and stretch the dough until it is 5 millimeters thick.
Heat a frying pan over low heat and grease it with very little oil and only if necessary. Cut the dough into circles to form your wheat flour arepas and cook them in the pan. Flip them when they brown. You can also make the fried wheat flour arepas with a higher amount of oil, but keep in mind that the caloric intake will be equally higher.
You will know they are ready because they will puff up. While that’s happening, it may be necessary to turn them around in the pan several times to prevent them from burning.
Tip: To make sure that they are cooked inside too, you can apply the sound test: if they sound deep when you tap them with your fingers, they are ready. A flatter, sharper sound indicates that they are still raw inside.
And ready! As you can see, the wheat flour arepas recipe is quick and easy and will allow you to enjoy a delicious breakfast. You can fill your wheat arepas with ham and cheese if you are looking for something simple and complete. Just keep in mind that it is preferable to wait for them to warm up a bit to open them without burning yourself.
With what to fill the wheat flour arepas?
Due to its slightly sweet flavor, wheat arepas can have salty and sweet fillings, unlike corn arepas, which are always associated with salty preparations. In this way, you can serve your wheat flour arepas stuffed with shredded meat, queen pepiada or prepare the typical pavilion arepa.
On the other hand, you have the opportunity to fill your wheat arepas with bananas and other fruits, jam, whipped cream, chocolate, delicacies, etc.
