Braised peas and potatoes. Delicious and hearty, great for feeding a bigger group or heating up for lunch. Artichoke hearts make a welcome addition.

potatoes (Cyprus ideally) 600g
olive oil 80–100 ml
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
onions 2
garlic cloves 2
carrots 4
ripe tomatoes or tinned plum tomatoes 5 or 1 x 400g tin
tomato purée 1 heaped tbsp
baby peas 600g
bay leaf 1
vegetable stock 500 ml
flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  1. Peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks, around 5 cm. Pour enough olive oil into a large saucepan or casserole to fill it by 1 cm, around 80ml. Place on a medium heat, and fry the potatoes, seasoning as you go, until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and keep to one side.
  2. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the onions and garlic. Peel and roughly chop the carrots. If using fresh tomatoes, peel them, then roughly chop and keep to one side. After the potatoes are browned, add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the same pan, reduce the heat a little, and sauté for 10 minutes to soften slightly.
  3. Stir in the tomato purée, then after a minute add the chopped or tinned tomatoes, the peas, bay leaf, and the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes. Check the vegetables: everything should be tender and the liquid thickened. If it still looks a little watery, remove the lid, turn the heat up a little, and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes to reduce down.
  4. Remove from the heat and leave for at least 10 minutes before serving. Finely chop the parsley and stir through. Check the seasoning, adding more if needed, and then serve.