Raclette Arepas: The Recipe for Stuffed Corn Cakes

In short: Arepas are cakes made from pre-cooked corn flour, very common in Venezuela and Colombia, which you split open to fill. Stuffed with melted raclette cheese, black beans and avocado, they become a complete and very indulgent meal.

Chef’s tip

The arepa is a little corn pocket that asks for only one thing: to be filled. Raclette cheese, which only wants to melt, has found the perfect roommate.

Use pre-cooked corn flour, not semolina or ordinary cornmeal: without it, the dough will not hold together. Let it rest for 5 minutes before shaping the cakes, and cook them first on the griddle for the crust, then in the oven so the inside is cooked through.

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 300 g pre-cooked corn flour
• 40 cl warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 600 g raclette cheese
• 400 g cooked black beans, drained
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 avocados
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 lime
• A few sprigs of cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Make the dough. Mix the pre-cooked corn flour and the salt, then pour in the warm water little by little, kneading by hand until you get a supple dough that does not stick. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
   

   

2. Shape the arepas. Divide the dough into 8 balls, then flatten them between your palms into cakes about 1.5 cm (½ in) thick.
   

   

3. Brown on the griddle. Oil the griddle or a skillet and brown the arepas for 5 minutes on each side over medium heat, until a crust forms.
   

   

4. Finish in the oven. Finish cooking for 10 minutes in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F): the arepas are ready when they sound hollow when tapped.
   

   

5. Prepare the beans. Meanwhile, sauté the sliced onion and the garlic in a drizzle of oil, add the black beans and the cumin, then roughly mash them with a fork.
   

   

6. Prepare the avocado and tomato. Dice the avocados and the tomatoes, drizzle with lime juice, add salt and stir in the chopped cilantro.
   

   

7. Fill and serve. Slice the hot arepas open along the side with a knife, slip in the thinly sliced raclette cheese, then the beans and the avocado. Serve right away, while the cheese melts.
   

   

Chef’s tips

• If the dough cracks while you shape the cakes, add a little water: the edges should be smooth.
• Keep a bowl of water next to you and wet your hands to shape the arepas without them sticking.
• For even more melty cheese, melt it first in a raclette pan and pour it into the open arepa.
• Cooked arepas reheat very well in a skillet or in the toaster the next day.

Variations

• Add shredded chicken or beef for a meat version.
• Breakfast version: scrambled eggs and raclette cheese in the arepa.
• Sweet version: a few slices of pan-fried plantain with the cheese.

Which wine to serve?

A well-chilled lager, or a homemade limeade. For wine, a dry, fruity rosé.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you find pre-cooked corn flour?

In Latin American grocery stores, international food stores and the international aisle of some supermarkets.

Can you cook the arepas only in a skillet?

Yes, by cooking them for 8 to 10 minutes on each side over low heat. The oven step gives a softer inside.

Are arepas gluten-free?

Corn flour does not contain gluten, but check the packaging if you are cooking for someone who is intolerant.

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Read also: Pulled Pork Raclette Naan and Raclette Wrap