Cachapas or corn pancakes
Cachapas are a traditional Venezuelan and Colombian dish made from corn. Like arepas, they are popular at roadside stands. They can be made like pancakes of fresh corn dough. The most common varieties are made with fresh ground corn mixed into a thick batter and cooked on a budare.
A Budare is a kind of a griddle, made from stone, clay or steel, that is often used to cook a variety of breads. In Venezuela it is used to cook Cachapas, Arepas and Casabe. This delicious and sweet pancakes are are an integral part of Venezuela's culinary history and their origin dates back to pre Colombian times, when the indigenous population would grind corn with stone pestles and then cook it on clay budares.
Arepas are made of ground corn dough or cooked flour, like pancakes; the cachapa is slightly thicker and lumpier because of the pieces from corn kernels. For this recipe I had some sauteed beef left and add that to the cheese, and serve the cachapa with some fresh greens! great! for a quick lunch or dinner!
Cachapas are traditionally eaten with Queso de Mano (handmade cheese), a soft, mozzarella-like cheese, and on occasions with fried pork chicharrón on the side. Cachapas can be very elaborate, some including different kinds of cheese, milky cream, or jam. They can be prepared as an appetizer, or as a full breakfast with hand cheese and fried pork.
Cachapas
Ingredients
- 1 can of corn 14 oz or 2 cups of kernels
- 2 tablespoons of fine corn meal Masa hrina
- ¼ cup of milk
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- Oil for frying pan
Instructions
- You can use many ingredients for the filling, as well as countless combinations Queso fresco, Cheese, Mozzarella, Gouda cheese, shredded beef, ham, chorizo, pork cracklings, etc.
- Preparation
- In a blender or a food processor mix the corn, egg, milk, corn meal, melted butter, sugar and salt, until you get a thick and chunky dough, this should not be too thick.
- Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet on the stove over medium heat, smear a little oil on a paper towel and grease the griddle lightly for each pancake, then pour a ladle of the corn mix on the griddle about ½ cup of the mixture, spreading it with a spoon or spatula to form a circle. When the bubbles formed on the entire surface and it seems to be dry and get golden edges, flip it with a spatula to cook the other side, about 1-2 minute on each side. Remove it from the griddle or skillet and reserve, keeping them warm.
Nutrition
Happy cooking!
Cachapas venezolanas
La cachapa, o arepa de choclo o maíz jojoto es un plato típico de Venezuela y Colombia. Es probablemente de origen indígena, aunque no hay referencias concretas. Se prepara con maíz tierno amarillo molido o rallado al que se le añade leche o agua, azúcar, sal y aceite, hasta formar una mezcla semilíquida. Se cocina sobre un budare o sartén casero. La cachapa se puede comer "al paso" y con las manos, en simples establecimientos a la orilla de las carreteras o en restaurantes más formales, con cuchillo y tenedor, pañada de jamón, queso de mano, queso guayanés, mantequilla o margarina, o varios ingredientes combinados.
Budare es una especie de una plancha, hecho de piedra, arcilla o de acero, que se utiliza a menudo para cocinar una variedad de panes. En Venezuela se utiliza para cocinar Cachapas, Arepas y Casabe). Estos deliciosos y dulces panqueques son una parte integral de la historia culinaria de Venezuela y su origen se remonta a la época precolombina, cuando la población indígena sería moler maíz con morteros de piedra y luego cocinarlos en budares arcilla.
Ingredients
- 1 lata de maíz de 14 oz o 2 tazas de maíz fresco
- 2 cucharadas de harina de maíz
- 1 huevo
- ¼ taza de leche
- 1 pizca de sal
- 1 cucharada de azúcar
- 1 cucharada de mantequilla derretida
- Aceite para el sartén
- Para el relleno:
- Se pueden usar infinidad de ingredientes para el relleno así como Queso fresco, Queso Mozzarella, Queso Gouda, Carne Mechada, jamón, chorizo, chicharrones, etc.
- En una licuadora o en un procesador de alimentos se agrega el maíz, leche, el huevo, la harina de maíz, mantequilla, azúcar y la sal. Se mezclan los ingredientes, la masa debe quedar gruesa con una textura como masa para panqueques.
- Se pone a calentar un sartén de teflón sobre a fuego medio. Engrase ligeramente el sartén con un papel absorbente con aceite cada vez que se va a hacer una cachapa y con un cucharón pequeño vierta alrededor de ½ taza de la mezcla, extendiéndola con el cucharón hasta formar un círculo de espesor fino. Al formarse burbujitas en toda la superficie y estar los bordes secos y dorados, se voltean con una espátula para cocinarlas por el otro lado, alrededor de 1 – 2 minuto por cada lado. Retirarla del fuego y reservar, conservándolas calientes.
Instructions
- En una licuadora o en un procesador de alimentos, se agrega el maíz, leche, el huevo, la harina de maíz, mantequilla, azúcar y la sal. Se mezclan los ingredientes, la masa debe quedar gruesa con una textura como masa para panqueques.
- Se pone a calentar un sartén de teflón sobre a fuego medio. Engrase ligeramente el sartén con un papel absorbente con aceite cada vez que se va a hacer una cachapa y, con un cucharón pequeño vierta alrededor de ½ taza de la mezcla, extendiéndola con el cucharón hasta formar un círculo de espesor fino. Al formarse burbujitas en toda la superficie y estar los bordes secos y dorados, se voltean con una espátula para cocinarlas por el otro lado, alrededor de 1 – 2 minuto por cada lado. Retirarla del fuego y reservar, conservándolas calientes.
Ben Maclain@havocinthekitchen says
I've never been to Venezuela nor Colombia, but after such a beautiful presentation, I want to buy a ticket immediately - I know I wouldn't be starving in these countries! Awesome pancakes! Even though I've never incorporated corn in them, that sounds so good. Why not indeed? Nicely done, Gaila!
Petit Gourmet says
Ben!! Thank you! You know I do like my savory food with a touch of sweetness and this is the perfect combination for that and all that cheese! it's truly delicious!
adam j. holland says
These look absolutely divine. Though I don't have clay to cook them on, I'll be trying this new-school on my range griddle. Wow. Just beautiful!
Petit Gourmet says
Thank you Adam! I did my on the stove top on a regular frying pan! 😉
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Growing up in South Florida, I ate Arepas like they were potato chips, but I've never had Cachapas. I'm so excited to see this recipe and can't wait to try it. Pics look fantastic too 🙂
Petit Gourmet says
Karrie! thanks for stopping by! let me tell you that I have always preferred cachapas to arepas! both amazingly good but I love having some sweet touch on my savory foods! and corn is perfect!
A_Boleyn says
Great looking dish. I'll be giving this one a try soon.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Oh my YUMMMM! I freggin' LOOOVEEEEE arepas, but I have never had the pleasure of trying cachapas... and now thanks to you, I can (and will) indulge in these delicious pancakes. These look so scrumptious, G. I want to jump through my computer screen and eat ALLLLL of your cachapas! 🙂 Thanks for introducing me to yet ANOTHER stellar dish. Cheers, my sweets! xoxo
P.S. Sorry if I have been M.I.A. I'm in the process of moving almost half way across the country (south to north).. So i've been CRAZY stressed. Hugs!
Petit Gourmet says
Hi Chey!! I imagine you were up to something! These are soo good!! so try and let me know how you liked them!! Hugs!!
Wendie says
Looks delicious! One question, though. If using canned corn, do you drain it first?
Monica says
I finally got around to making these tonight. I lived in Colombia until I was 8 years old and never had them. But got to try them recently at a Venezuelan restaurant in Orlando. These are delicious but REALLY hard to flip, I think if I'd had a bigger spatula it might have been easier but they do fall apart really easily. Also I only got 6 pancakes using a 1/4 cup measuring cup so it was a lot less than I thought it would be. But enough for the 3 of us 🙂
(also used honey in place of sugar as my hubby can't eat refined sugar)
Petit Gourmet says
Hello Monica! thank you so much for your feedback! I am glad you tried it out and I agree these can be tricky to flip, so for sure get a bigger spatula! Thank you for stopping by! ????
Yo says
Recipe looks great, can't wait to try it. The FONT IS IMPOSSIBLE to read though.... Why?!?
Petit Gourmet says
Hey! thanks for your interest in my blog! I will be figuring out a better reading font.