Alcapurrias

Step 1: Make the filling first. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook 1 onion, ½ green pepper and 2 cloves garlic for 5 minutes until soft.

Step 2: Add 14 oz beef mince and cook for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink left. Add ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ cup tomato passata, 1 oz pimento-stuffed green olives and ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 5 minutes until almost dry; a wet filling leaks through the masa. Cool completely, then keep in the fridge.

Step 3: Rub a little oil on your hands or wear gloves; green banana sap stains. Cut the ends off 6 green (unripe) bananas, slit the skin lengthways and prise it off. Peel 16 oz yautía (taro root).

Step 4: Grate the bananas and yautía on the finest side of a box grater (or blend to a thick paste in a food processor). Stir in 3 tbsp annatto (achiote) oil and 1 ½ tsp salt; the masa should be orange and sticky like thick porridge.

Step 5: Cover and chill the masa in the fridge for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to hold a shape.

Step 6: Brush a square of greaseproof paper with annatto oil. Spread 3 tablespoons of masa on it in an oval about 12 cm long, put 1 heaped tablespoon of filling down the middle, then cover with 2 more tablespoons of masa and smooth the edges to seal it into a torpedo shape.

Step 7: Heat 6 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Slide 3 or 4 alcapurrias off the paper into the oil and fry for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp all over. The filling is already cooked; the long fry cooks the masa through and heats the centre until piping hot.

Step 8: Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot. Keep the oil at 350°F between batches. Uncooked, shaped alcapurrias freeze well on a tray; fry them from frozen for 12–14 minutes.