Arepas Trinidad

Ingredients

• 4 cups cornmeal
• ½ cup flour
• 2 tsp salt
• water to bind
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp lard
• 3 tsp baking powder

Filling

• ½ lb ground beef ( or lean pork or chicken, minced )
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ hot pepper, minced
• minced garlic, onion, pepper, salt, chive, thyme - to taste

Directions

1. Season ground beef, then brown in oil ( or other minced meat).
2. Cover and stew for about ½ hour - then mince again finely.
3. Sift flour, salt, baking powder and cornmeal together.
4. Add butter and lard and mix thoroughly with fingertips until mixture resembles bread crumbs.
5. Add sufficient water to make a soft dough.
6. Knead lightly, then cut into pieces the size of a golf ball, flatten to 4" circles.
7. Place about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture on one ½ of the circle, dampen edge and fold over the other ½ of the circle to form a crescent.
8. Squeeze edges together.
9. Fry in hot oil until golden brown.
10. Drain on brown paper and serve hot.