To make chef Ryan Pera’s arepas, buy the right kind of masa. You want arepa flour (a.k.a. masarepa, made from cooked and milled corn), not masa harina (dried corn flour). Once you’ve got it, making, shaping, and browning the dough is a piece of (corn) cake.
Mix arepa flour, salt, and water.
Make sure no dry lumps remain and the dough holds together when squeezed.
Lightly knead the dough.
Then shape it into 8 balls. Use your palms to flatten into ½"-thick patties.
Cook arepas over medium heat, covered, until golden brown. Flip; finish cooking uncovered.
When cool enough to handle, use a knife to split arepas in half before filling.
Get the recipe: Arepas