Cappon magro

Step 1: Boil 14 oz waxy potatoes, 3 carrots, 7 oz green beans, 10 ½ oz cauliflower and 2 celery sticks separately in salted water with 1 tsp salt until just tender, 5–20 minutes each depending on the vegetable. Drain, cool and slice. Slice 2 cooked beetroot.

Step 2: Poach 1 ⅓ lb firm white fish such as hake or sea bass fillets in simmering salted water for 6–8 minutes, until opaque and flaking. Flake into large pieces and remove all bones.

Step 3: Throw away any 1 ⅛ lb live mussels that are cracked or stay open when tapped. Steam them in a covered pan for 4–5 minutes, until open, and discard any that stay closed. Cook 12 large raw prawns in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, until pink and opaque.

Step 4: Blend 2 ⅛ oz flat-leaf parsley, 2 tbsp capers, 1 oz pine nuts, 4 anchovy fillets, 2 hard-boiled egg yolks, 1 oz green olives and the squeezed 1 oz white bread with ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil into a thick green sauce.

Step 5: Rub 6 gallette del marinaio (ship's biscuits) or friselle with 1 clove garlic, soak briefly with half of 2 tbsp white wine vinegar and a little water, and arrange on a large plate as a base. Spread with green sauce.

Step 6: Build a dome in layers: fish, potatoes, beans, carrots, cauliflower, beetroot and celery, dressing each layer with a little of 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, the rest of the vinegar and green sauce, and pressing gently. Common mistake: building on wet vegetables; dry them well or the dome slumps.

Step 7: Cover with the rest of the sauce and decorate with prawns and mussels. Chill for at least 2 hours and serve cold the same day.