Name: Cachapas con Queso de Mano
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Venezuela
Ingredients: 600 g fresh sweet corn kernels, about 4 cups, from 5 large ears; 30 g precooked white cornmeal, masarepa, about 3 tbsp; 3 tbsp granulated sugar, less if the corn is very sweet; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 60 ml whole milk; 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for the batter; 2 tbsp butter, for the griddle; 250 g queso de mano, sliced thick; fresh mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese also works

Cachapas are Venezuelan pancakes made from fresh, tender corn (called jojoto in Venezuela), ground with a little sugar and salt and cooked on a griddle. They are thicker and chewier than American pancakes. They are folded over queso de mano, a soft, mild fresh cheese, and eaten in the morning or from roadside stands.

The corn needs to be young and sweet, and the batter blended coarse so it keeps some texture. A spoonful of precooked cornmeal helps it hold together on the griddle. Cook over medium heat, well-buttered, until deep golden with charred spots, and add the cheese while the cachapa is hot so it softens.

Cachapas con Queso de Mano is one of the best breakfasts from around the world.

method

Blend the corn kernels, sugar, salt and milk in a blender in short pulses, until you have a thick, coarse batter with some whole pieces left. Do not blend it smooth.

Add the cornmeal and the melted butter and pulse a couple of times. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes to thicken. It should drop from a spoon in a thick ribbon.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and melt a little butter on it. Pour on about 3/4 cup (180 ml) of batter and spread it with the back of a spoon into a round about 18 cm (7 inches) wide and 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden with charred spots and the surface is mostly set. Slide a wide spatula under it and turn it carefully.

Cook the second side for 2 to 3 minutes, until browned and firm. Lay the cheese over one half of the cachapa for the last minute so it begins to soften.

Fold the cachapa over the cheese and serve at once. Repeat with the remaining batter, buttering the pan each time.

chef's tips

Queso de mano is soft and mild with a faint saltiness. It is hard to find outside Venezuela, so fresh mozzarella (not the low-moisture kind) with a pinch of salt is a good substitute.
Make the cachapas medium size. Very large ones are difficult to turn.
If your corn is not very sweet, add another tablespoon of sugar. Old, starchy corn needs more sugar and a little more cornmeal.