These fried corn cakes with an egg inside are a delicious treat anytime of year or for any reason. But as they are fried, they are especially appropriate for Chanukah, when fried foods are traditional.
Stir masarepa or instant masa and salt together. Add 1 cup water and mix into a smooth pasty consistency. Form it into a ball and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
Heat oil to 350 degrees F. It should be quite hot, but not smoking. Break the eggs into separate measuring or other cups, or break them one at a time into a single measuring or other cup.
Divide dough into fifths. Take 1/5th (a ball between golf and baseball size) and work it into a thick disc about 5-6-inches round. Toss it between your hands and at the end, using a bit of water, smooth out the edges. (See video earlier in this post.)
Fry the arepa. Oil should come up to the top, but not cover the disc. When golden, turn it over and fry the other side. Once done, let it cool slightly on a paper towel.
Once it is cool enough to handle, make a several inch slit in the top of the arepa. Pour a raw egg into the arepa, letting the egg slide down into the pouch created when the arepa puffed up while frying. Add salt and pepper as you would if you were frying the egg alone.
Seal up the slit with a bit of the remaining 1/5th of the dough - four portions go for the four arepas, and the fifth is divided into fourths for sealing up the slits on the 4 arepas. After confirming that the oil is still at 350 degrees F, refry the arepa, so as to cook the egg inside and to cook the dough used to reseal the slit. This should take about 2-2 & 1/2 minutes per side or 4-5 minutes total. The longer you cook the arepa, the harder the egg will be. If you prefer the yolk fully cooked, aim for about 5 minutes.
To make a sweet arepa, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the dough at the same time as you add the salt.