Arepa dominó
Arepas with black beans and cheese
Venezuelan split arepas stuffed with black beans and white cheese
In Caracas the arepa is not a topped flatbread but a pocket: a thinner, crisp-skinned white-corn round that is split open while hot and stuffed, sold from areperas that stay open late into the night. The dominó is the classic vegetarian filling, named for its black and white look: warm black beans (caraotas) and crumbly salty white cheese. It is a filling meal for breakfast or dinner. Chef's tip: once the arepas have a crust, finish them in a hot oven or let them stand on the griddle until they sound hollow when tapped; that dry, steamy middle is what makes them easy to split and stuff.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the arepas
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the filling
- 14 oz cooked black beanswell drained, or 1 tin
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 ½ oz crumbly salty white cheese such as queso llanero or fetacrumbled
- ⅔ oz butter (optional)to spread inside
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz precooked white cornmeal (harina PAN) and 1 tsp salt, pour in 1 ½ cups warm water and stir, then knead for 2 minutes into a smooth, soft dough that doesn't crack. Rest for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Divide into 4 balls and flatten into rounds about 1.5 cm thick and 10 cm across. Pat the edges smooth with a damp finger.
Step 3: Heat a heavy pan or griddle over a medium heat, brush with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and cook the arepas until they have a pale golden, freckled crust, 5–6 minutes per side.
12 minStep 4: Meanwhile warm 14 oz cooked black beans with 1 clove garlic, ¼ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp sugar and ¼ tsp salt in a small pan over a low heat, mashing a few, until hot and saucy, 5 minutes.
5 minStep 5: Lower the heat and keep turning the arepas for 5 minutes more, until they sound hollow when tapped. The common mistake is splitting them too soon: the inside is still raw dough.
5 minStep 6: Split each arepa open along one side with a knife, leaving a hinge. Scrape out a little of the soft centre if you want more room, spread with ⅔ oz butter, then stuff with beans and 5 ½ oz crumbly salty white cheese such as queso llanero or feta. Eat hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arepa dominó take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cooked black beans?
- Kidney or pinto beans, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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