Pasta mollicata – bucatini with anchovies and breadcrumbs

This simple pasta recipe hails from the southern Italian region of Basilicata and despite its popularity it's often known as a 'poor man's dish'. Making use of dried stale bread, the basic sauce is made up of anchovies, garlic, breadcrumbs, tomato and a splash of red wine. We love this particular recipe, though there are of course many versions of the dish, which change depending on the season and what people have in their fridge – so feel free to make your own adjustments!

If you can find it, be sure to add a pinch of peperoni cruschi (crushed dried Senise peppers), which are a ubiquitous ingredient in Basilicata and used to flavour the vast majority of dishes in the region.