Tequeños with Guasacaca (Venezuelan Fried Cheese Sticks with Avocado Sauce)

1. Cut the cheese into 7.5cm-long pieces, then cut into sticks. Ideally, each should measure about 1 x 1 x 7.5cm, but the shape of the cheese will determine the exact dimensions and number of sticks. If the cheese is hard and crumbles easily, cut it into wider rectangular pieces instead. If using frying cheese or mozzarella, season the cheese generously with salt, then place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking tray and leave to release excess liquid while you prepare the dough.
2. Working with one empanada disc at a time, keeping the others stacked with their liners to prevent them drying out, cut each disc into six strips about 2.5cm wide. Remove and reserve the liners between the discs; these can be used if storing the tequeños later.
3. Fill a small bowl with water. Dab a little water onto one end of each of the 2 shortest strips, overlap them and press together to create a strip as long as one of the remaining 4 strips.
4. Spread out the strips, then dab the ends of one with water and flatten slightly. Place a cheese stick on the strip at an angle and wrap the dough over the top of the cheese, pinching it together if necessary. Once the top is secure, continue wrapping the dough around the cheese, overlapping it as you go, until completely covered with no cheese showing.
5. You may need to gently pull and stretch the dough to completely cover the end of the cheese. Trim off any excess dough and reserve it for patching other tequeños, if necessary. If needed, attach another half-strip with a little water to completely seal the cheese. Very gently roll the tequeño and tap each end to seal.
6. Repeat with the remaining cheese and empanada discs. Depending on the type of cheese used, you may have some discs left over; reserve these for another use.
7. The wrapped tequeños can be layered in an airtight container, separated by the reserved liners, and frozen for up to 3 months, or fried immediately.
8. If frying straight away, pour enough oil into a medium, heavy-based saucepan to come 5cm up the sides and heat to 165°C. Carefully add a few tequeños at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry, turning once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Allow the oil to return to 165°C between batches.
9. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt and leave to cool slightly before serving with the guasacaca for dipping.

Guasacaca

1. Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt or sugar if necessary.
2. The guasacaca can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Makes about 415ml.

Cook’s Note

1. Look for queso duro (hard cheese), queso duro viejo (aged hard cheese) or queso de freír (white frying cheese) in shops specialising in Latin American ingredients. The choice of cheese makes a big difference to the finished tequeños, so it is worth seeking out queso duro if you can.