Another recipe from Motherwell's lovely Biro Babes. Thanks again to Sandra and Angela for keeping us all so well fed on our weekend up at Moniack Mhor, even going as far as to teach me the secret of a perfect poached egg. And cooking's only half the story. Some great new stories and poems from the girls will be appearing on the showcase in the coming weeks.

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HOW DOES SHE DO IT?

Pre-heat oven to 220C

1. Peel and chop the onion and garlic

2. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole dish

3. Add onion, garlic and herbs and fry for 5 minutes until softened

4. Add the tomatoes and pesto; stir well

5. Add the borlotti and cannelini beans with a little water

6. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes

7. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste

8. Arrange the thin slices of baguette overlapping on top of the stew

9. Brush with garlic-flavoured olive oil and scatter on the cheese with some chopped fresh herbs

10. Bake in the oven at 200c for 15 minutes until the topping is crisp and golden