An arepa () is a griddlecake made of ground maize dough that may be stuffed with a filling, eaten in northern parts of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Central America. cuajada, various types of meat, avocado, or (deviled ham spread). It can also be split to make sandwiches. Sizes, maize types, and added ingredients vary based on preparation. It is similar to the Mexican gordita, the Salvadoran pupusa, the Ecuadorian , and the Panamanian or .
Origins
The is a pre-Columbian dish from the area that is now Colombia, Panama and Venezuela. Instruments used to make flour for the , and the clay slabs on which they were cooked, were often found at archaeological sites in the area. Although it has not been specified in which country an ' was cooked for the first time, it has been possible to define the oldest dates of the presence of maize in Colombia and Venezuela. For example, in Colombia, the first record of the presence of corn cultivation dates from about 6,000 years ago. However, the presence of arepas dates from 3,000 years ago (specifically in the Altiplano Cundiboyacense by the Muisca), while in Venezuela, the estimate is about 2,800 years ago.
Throughout its history, the ' has stayed mainly unchanged from the ' that pre-Columbian native peoples would have consumed, making the ' one of the few pre-contact traditions that have remained popular in the years since colonization.
Production
thumb|Variety of pre-roasted arepas at a supermarket in Colombia
Initially, flour was made by grinding maize at home. In the 1950s, precooked arepa flour was invented by Dr. , a Venezuelan engineer, and became an instant success. The flour is mixed with water and salt, and occasionally oil, butter, eggs or milk. Because the flour is already cooked, the blend forms into patties easily. After being kneaded and formed, the patties are fried, grilled, or baked. Some varieties of arepas are made with "peeled" corn using the nixtamalization process; they are known as arepa pelada.
Arepa flour is specially prepared (cooked in water, then dried) for making arepas and other maize dough-based dishes, such as hallacas, bollos, tamales, empanadas, atole and chicha. The flour may be called , , , or . It is not nixtamalized. The most popular brand names of maize flour are Harina PAN and Harina Juana in Venezuela produced by the companies Alimentos Polar and Monaca; Doñarepa in Colombia produced by the company Harinera del Valle; and Goya elsewhere.
However, in countries such as Colombia, it is not common to reconstitute corn flour as it is in Venezuela. Thus, in Colombia, it is more common to see pre-roasted arepas ready for consumption in stores and supermarkets, giving rise to an industry that in 2019 alone had sales of USD $124 million with companies such as Arepas Sary and Alpina Productos Alimenticios.
Regional varieties
The dish is known in multiple cuisines. According to food anthropologist Ocarina Castillo of the Central University of Venezuela, the dish is likely thousands of years old and originated in the region now occupied by the two countries before colonizers of the area drew borders.
Bolivia
Bolivian arepas are made from corn. There are different ways to prepare arepas, but one of the most traditional is the Cotoca recipe. Several varieties of arepa can be found in the country, such as the Cruceña and Andina varieties.
Colombia
thumb|Street vendor selling grilled arepas on bijao leaves in [[Barranquilla]]
thumb|Colombian arepa con queso (arepa with cheese)
The first record of the existence of arepas dates from about 3,000 years ago in what is currently Colombia.
In 2006, the arepa was named the cultural symbol of Colombia in a competition organized by Semana magazine with support from Caracol Televisión, the Ministry of Culture and 'Colombia is Passion'. It is also sold in the form of industrialized corn flour that requires hydration before preparation. In addition, arepas are sold by street vendors, in cafeterias, and in neighborhood stores.
Restaurants of the Paisa Region offer a wide variety of arepas, including a unique style of stuffed arepa that can be filled with eggs, meat, or cheese. Colombians in the Caribbean region commonly eat a breakfast variation called , which consists of a cooked arepa which has been split open, stuffed with a raw egg, and fried.
The Colombian Arepa Festival is celebrated in Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali and Medellín. Each city takes turns organizing the festival between August and December. There are also many other types of arepas, including arepa de choclo, arepa de queso, arepa frita, arepa costeña, arepa de yuca, and arepa paisa.
thumb|[[Arepa de Choclo]]
Variations by region
According to the Santa Marta City newspaper, El Informador, there are about 75 types of ' around Colombia; among them is the ocañera, consumed in the Department of Norte de Santander, characterized by the addition of () and other types of meat. Some recipes for this type of ' can contain cheese and chicken. One of its characteristics is that it is relatively thin unlike other and also has a toasted and golden colored shell.
Another variation is the boyacense, with the Municipality of Ventaquemada being one of the most outstanding in terms of its production. This type of ' may contain butter, eggs, and cheese. It has a certain sweetness, and in some recipes, this ' may have cuajada.
There is also the paisa, which is consumed in the Department of Antioquia. It is prepared with (). This form most closely resembles indigenous cuisine.
In addition, another ' variation consumed in the Andean region of the country is the santandereana, which contains cooked yuca and chicharrón.
Costa Rica
In the Province of Guanacaste, ' are prepared in the form of large, toasted sponge cakes, seasoned with Bagaces type cheese. In Cartago, during colonial times, were filled with pork.
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, mainly in the San Juan area and beach sides, are popular. They can also be found in some restaurants, almost always as . The Puerto Rican is made with wheat flour, coconut milk, coconut oil, baking powder, and sugar. They can be fried, baked, or cooked on a grill. Once done, the is cut open and stuffed. There are countless fillings. Crab, shrimp, and octopus stewed in sofrito, lemon, coconut milk, and ginger, among other ingredients, are the most popular.
Spain
thumb| in [[San Cristóbal de La Laguna|La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands]]
are present in the Canary Islands due to population flow between the islands and Venezuela. They are found in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and rarely in the archipelago's eastern islands. Many of the consumed in the islands' bars and restaurants are fried. Some incorporate ingredients from local gastronomy such as soft cheese or Canary plantain.
Venezuela
The arepa is a symbol of Venezuelan gastronomy and one of the most common pre-Hispanic foods still popular in Venezuela. It is common for Venezuelans to eat ' throughout the day, both as snacks and as sides to meals, creating a culture where these corn products (Harina PAN) can be found almost everywhere and in specific restaurants called .
The ' is seen as a cornerstone of a Venezuelan diet; prior to the 2015 food shortages, it was estimated that each year the average Venezuelan consumed about 30 kilos of the corn flour used to make '.
Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro "has tried to use arepas as a nationalist rallying point, if not a political tool, claiming the food is from his country alone", according to the New York Times.