he first time I went to Colombia, my not-yet-wife warned me that I'd be eating arepas. A whole lot of them. What she didn't prepare me for was the baffling array of styles they come in. If you're like I was back then, you hear the word arepa, and you think "Oh, it's that Venezuelan/Colombian corn cake, right?" And you probably have an image in your mind of a thick tortilla.
1 1/2 cups masarepa (see notes)
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) finely crumbled queso fresco (optional, see notes)
1 cup water, plus more as necessary
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons butter
Combine masarepa, cheese (if using), water, and vegetable oil in a medium bowl and knead with hands until a dough is formed. Take a small amount and flatten it between your palms. If the edges crack, knead in more water, a tablespoon at a time, until dough is supple and smooth but not sticky. Season dough to taste with salt, then cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 even pieces and roll into balls. Working on a wooden cutting board or a regular cutting board with a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top of it, flatten each ball down to a disk about 5 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick.
Melt butter in a 12-inch cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat (see notes). Add arepas and cook, moving them around the pan and rotating them occasionally, until first side is charred in spots and a dry crust has formed, about 5 minutes. Flip arepas and cook on second side until a dry crust has formed, about 5 minutes longer. Continue cooking, flipping every minute or so, until arepas are mostly dry and relatively stiff, about 5 minutes longer. Serve hot with cheese, melted butter, or toppings of your choice.
