Escudella i carn d'olla

Step 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb beef shin, 10 ½ oz pork belly and 1 ⅓ lb beef marrow bone and ham bone in a very large pot with 16 ¾ cups water. Bring slowly to the boil, skimming off the grey foam until the liquid is clear.

Step 2: Add drained 7 oz dried chickpeas, preferably in a net bag so they are easy to lift out. Simmer very gently, partly covered, for 1 hour.

Step 3: Mix 14 oz pork and beef mince, 1 egg, 1 ⅜ oz breadcrumbs, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and a pinch of salt. Shape into 2 large oval pilotes and roll them in 2 tbsp plain flour.

Step 4: Add 1 ¾ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, 3 carrots, 1 leek, 2 sticks celery, 1 turnip and 2 tsp salt, along with the pilotes, and simmer for 1 hour more.

Step 5: Add 4 potatoes and ½ savoy cabbage and simmer for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, the chicken reaches 165°F, the pilota 160°F at its centre, and the beef shin is tender enough to cut with a spoon. A common mistake is letting the pot boil hard; it clouds the broth and toughens the meat.

Step 6: Strain off about 2.5 litres of broth into a clean pan and taste for salt. Keep the meats and vegetables warm in the rest of the broth.

Step 7: Bring the strained broth to the boil, add 9 oz galets or other large pasta shells and cook for 12–15 minutes, until tender. Serve as the first course.

Step 8: For the second course, lift out the meats, pilotes, chickpeas and vegetables, slice the beef, pork and pilotes, and arrange everything on a large platter with a little broth spooned over.