Italian Bean Stew With Cheesy Roast Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7 and boil half a kettle

Chop your waxy potatoes into quarters and add to a baking tray (or two!) with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper

Give everything a good mix up and put the tray[s] in the oven for 25-30 min or until golden and crisp – these are your roast potatoes

While the potatoes are cooking, chop your cherry tomatoes in half

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the halved tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until they're beginning to break down

Finely chop your sun-dried tomatoes

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix and tomato paste in 50ml [75ml] [100ml] boiled water – this is your tomato stock

Add the chopped garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, your balsamic vinegar, half your chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and half your dried oregano (you'll use the rest later!) with 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and a grind of black pepper to the pan and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Drain and rinse your cannellini beans then add them to the pan with your chopped tomatoes, the tomato stock and a generous pinch of salt

Give everything a good mix up, reduce the heat to low-medium and cook, covered for 10 min or until the bean stew has thickened slightly

Drain your mozzarella, then pat and squeeze as much liquid out as you can with kitchen paper

Tear the drained mozzarella into rough, bite-sized pieces

Wash your spinach, then pat dry with kitchen paper

Once the bean stew has thickened slightly, stir the spinach through and cook with a lid on, for 2-3 min further or until the spinach has wilted – this is your Italian bean stew

Toss your roast potatoes with the remaining chilli flakes (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!) and remaining dried oregano

Top the roast potatoes with the torn mozzarella and put the tray back in the oven for 6-7 min or until the cheese is golden and bubbling – these are your cheesy roast potatoes