Sometimes all you want is fried food.

Prep and macerate 40 min
Cook 40 min
Makes 12 small cakes

For the salsa
1 medium white or red onion, finely chopped
1 large, ripe tomato, finely chopped
1-3 moderately hot green chillies (traditionally serranos, but choose what is available), deseeded and finely chopped
1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Salt

For the potato cakes
2 medium potatoes (approx 500g)
1 large egg, beaten
100g queso anejo, Romano cheese, salted ricotta or pecorino, grated
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
Oil for frying

First make the salsa: Mix the chopped tomato, onion and chillies with the coriander leaves, adding salt to taste and moistening with a little water. Leave to sit for 30 minutes while you make the potato cakes.

Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender. Once cool enough, peel and then either crush the potatoes with your hands or a fork, or pass through a potato ricer. Add the egg, cheese and parsley to the potato, mix, then taste and season as required.

Pour enough oil to come 1.25cm up the sides of a heavy-based frying pan – the smaller the pan, the less oil you will need), and heat. When the oil is hot, add tablespoonfuls of the mixture to the pan, flattening each portion slightly with the back of a fork. Fry, turning from time to time, until the potato cakes are a deep golden colour on both sides.

Lift the cakes from the oil on to a plate lined with kitchen towel to blot, but then serve immediately with the salsa spooned on top.

You can make the cakes in advance: after blotting, lift on to a baking sheet lined with more paper towelling, and when you’re ready to eat, reheat them in an oven set to 180C/350F/gas 4.