Flaky Butter Tequeños with Guasacaca

Method

1. Mix most of the flour (keep some for dusting) with the sugar and salt. Cube the dough share of the butter (about 40%) and rub it in with your fingertips until sandy. Add the beaten egg and cold milk, bring it together and knead for 7 min until smooth and elastic.

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 153 gSugar 1 tspSalt ½ tspCold butter (for the dough and for laminating) 16 gEgg (beaten, then measured) ½Cold milk 50 ml

2. Wrap the dough and chill it for 20 min. Meanwhile, put the rest of the butter between two sheets of baking paper and beat and roll it into a flat square 5 mm thick, then chill it too. Both dough and butter must be cold to make layers.

   Add in this stepCold butter (for the dough and for laminating) 24 g

3. Dust the counter and roll the dough into a rectangle three times as long as the butter square. Lay the butter in the middle and fold both ends over it like a letter. Roll it out long again, fold it like a letter once more, wrap and chill for 15 min. If butter breaks through, dust it with flour and chill for a few minutes before carrying on.

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 17 g

4. Cut the cheese into 1.5 × 1.5 × 8 cm sticks and pat dry. Roll the dough 2 mm thin and cut 1.5 cm strips. Cover the top of each cheese stick, wind the strip down in a slightly overlapping spiral and seal the bottom so no cheese shows. Set them on a tray and chill for 10 min.

   Add in this stepFirm white cheese (queso blanco, halloumi or paneer) 150 g

5. Guasacaca: blend the avocado, green pepper, onion, coriander, parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil and salt until mostly smooth with a few green flecks, then taste. Add a spoonful of water if it's too thick. Press cling film onto the surface to slow browning.

   Add in this stepRipe avocado ½Green bell pepper ¼Onion ¼Coriander (cilantro) 5 gFlat-leaf parsley 5 gGarlic cloves 1White wine vinegar 1 tspExtra virgin olive oil 1 tbspSalt (for the sauce) ¼ tsp

6. Pour oil at least 4 cm deep into a 16 cm pot and heat it over medium-high heat to 175 °C. Dry your hands and tools, and check that a dry wooden chopstick gives off a steady stream of small bubbles.

   Add in this stepOil for frying 800 ml

   medium-high heat

7. Lower the tequeños in carefully and fry in 2 batch(es), 3 min 30 sec per batch, turning, until blistered and deep golden; the laminated dough puffs into tiny bubbles. Drain on a rack for 2 minutes and serve with the guasacaca. The cheese inside is extremely hot.