Adam D'Sylva's pasta and bean stew, the Italian way: pancetta crisped first so the fat renders into the pan, then onion, garlic and bay sweated low and slow before crushed tomatoes, beans, stock and pasta join the pot. Thick, salty, the kind of bowl that gets thicker overnight in the fridge.

Pasta e fagioli is cucina povera at its purest, the Italian household dish built from the cheapest pantry staples: dried beans, stale bread, a fistful of pasta cut from the day's pizza scraps. Heinz peri peri beans are the modern shortcut here; the chilli and tomato seasoning already in the tin saves a step without losing the soul.

Cook the pasta separately to al dente and add it at the very end so it doesn't overcook in the stew (it'll absorb the broth and turn into porridge if you simmer it together for long). A handful of grated parmesan on top, a generous drizzle of green olive oil, and a hard grind of black pepper.

A bowl that improves with every reheat. Serve with crusty bread for the bottom of the bowl, and a glass of Chianti or a Nero d'Avola for the side.