Name: Fried Masa Cakes with Cheese (Arepas de Queso)
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Makes 12 arepas
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups milk; 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1 1/2 cups white arepa flour (precooked cornmeal); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 cup grated mozzarella; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

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Fried Masa Cakes with Cheese (Arepas de Queso)Rita Maas

In her cookbook Fiesta!, Anya von Bremzen included a recipe by the Jackson Heights (Queens, New York) "arepa lady," known simply as Piedad. Though arepas are a common South American breakfast item (as well as a lunch and dinner starch), what makes hers so special is the luxurious inclusion of butter in the dough and the use of milk instead of water.

We've adapted the recipe slightly.

Recipe notes

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