Tortillas, salsa, mushroom barbacoa and cajeta ricotta fritters: Yotam Ottolenghi's recipes for a Mexican feast

I often ask my colleagues in the test kitchen to tell me about their memories and experiences, their inspirations and the flavors that go with them the most. Jake Norman, for example, lived for a time in Mexico, teaching English, working at a pizzeria, and eating through the bustling markets and unmissable street food. He didn't know it at the time, but the experience marked the beginning of his love affair with food, his later life in kitchens and, now, his landing in this column, tapping into the Mexican flavors that he knows and loves. So here it is: Jake's Desert Island meal, with all the trimmings (and a cold beer).

I love how versatile tortillas are, especially when served with a bunch of different toppings, and ideally something fresh, something spicy, and something hot. Of course, store-bought tortillas are always an option, but nothing beats a warm tortilla straight from the pan. Serve with braised mushrooms in chipotle (see recipe below) and large spoonfuls of pico de gallo and pineapple salsa.

Preparation 18 min Rest 1 h Cook 40 minsMakes 2

For flour tortillas 240g plain flour, plus extra for dusting ¼ tsp baking powder 1 tbsp sour cream Fine sea salt 40 g unsalted unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed ½ tsp sunflower oil

For the salsa1 red chilli (10g), stemmed, halved in the lengthwise, then coarsely chopped, seeds and whole5g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated200g fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into ½cm cubes1½ tbsp cider vinegar½tsp caster sugar½tsp peppercorns pink lightly crushed 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

For the pico de gallo ½ cucumber (200g) peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped in ½ cm5 cubes breakfast radish ( 100 g), cut into ½ cm thick matchsticks ¼ red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced ​​(50 g) 1 tbsp orange juice 1 tbsp lime juice 15g coarsely chopped coriander leaves

To make the tortillas, add the flour, baking powder, sour cream, 125ml room temperature water and a half - teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on medium speed for six minutes, scraping down the sides as you go, until fully incorporated. At the end of this time, when the dough has started to come together, add a third of the butter and knead for a minute to incorporate. Repeat two more times, adding a third of the butter at a time and kneading for one minute after each addition, then increase the speed to medium-high and knead for three more minutes. The dough should now be smooth, bouncy, slightly sticky to the touch but not sticky to your fingers and it will be almost too soft to handle.

Pour the oil into a bowl AVERAGE. Lightly flour your hands, gently form the dough into a ball, then put it in the bowl and roll it in the oil just to coat it. Cover with a plate and let rest for an hour.

While the dough is rising, prepare the salsa. Put the chilli and a quarter teaspoon of salt in a mortar and crush until broken down but still slightly coarse. Stir in ginger and pineapple. Put the vinegar, sugar and one and a half tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over high heat. Once boiling, stir in all the pineapple mixture, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Once the dough has rested, pour it out onto a lightly flour . Divide into eight equal sized pieces weighing approximately 50g each and roll into golf ball sized balls.

Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat- lively. Using a rolling pin, roll one of the balls into a 2mm thick x 15cm circle, using additional flour sparingly and only if necessary - don't worry if it doesn't. is not a perfect circle. Gently lift the tortilla, lay it in the hot pan, and cook for 45-60 seconds on each side, until brown spots begin to appear. Lift, wrap in a slightly damp kitchen towel, then repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Once they are all cooked and wrapped in the towel, the tortillas will stay warm for about 30 minutes; otherwise, they will have to be reheated, either in a low oven or gently in a pan.

Just before serving, put all the ingred...