Neapolitan pasta and potatoes with smoked cheese (Pasta e patate con provola)

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1.5 cm cubes; chop the onion, celery and carrot very finely, dice the pancetta small and the provolone smaller, and quarter the cherry tomatoes.

2. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, fry the pancetta in the olive oil for 3 minutes, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook gently for 8 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes and tomatoes, stir together for 2 minutes, then pour in two-thirds of the stock and simmer covered for 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft and starting to break up at the edges.

4. Add the dry pasta and cook, risotto-style, for the stated time, stirring often and adding the remaining stock a little at a time, until the pasta is al dente and the partly broken-down potatoes bind everything into a thick, creamy sauce.

5. Take off the heat, stir in the provolone and parmesan and leave covered for 2 minutes so the cheese melts and turns stringy; season with salt and pepper.

6. Serve piping hot, sprinkled with fresh basil.

Tip: In Naples it's made with "pasta mista", the assorted odds and ends left at the bottom of pasta packets - any small pasta will do; smoked provolone or scamorza can stand in for the original smoked provola.