Serves 4

There's something about potatoes, bacon and onion. Bake them slowly together so that the potato is melting and infused with porkiness and you have the perfect comfort food, cheap too and pretty healthy. What more could you want

Several of you sent in your versions and to a man, or to a recipe, they were delicious. Some layer the ingredients with milk or white sauce, some with cheese or ricotta. The one I loved most, though, was this version, cooked in cider. The cider flavour is subtle, but splashing on a good slug of the amber nectar at the end turns the dish into a feast — think of pork in cider.

900 g (2 lb) potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

175 g (6 oz) smoked bacon, chopped small

dry cider

salt, pepper, butter

1. Lightly grease a deep casserole with butter. Arrange layers of potatoes, onions and bacon in the casserole, seasoning with a little salt and a lot of pepper as you go. Finish with a layer of potato and dot with butter.

2. Sprinkle with 6 tablespoons or so of cider. Cover and bake for 1 12 hours at Gas 7 (220°C) 325°F.

3. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 15 minutes or so. When it is done, if you like splash another few spoonfuls of cider on top before serving it with vegetables or salad.