Rachel Roddy's recipe for peaches and basil in wine | A kitchen in Rome

Stefano's legs are so long that I was afraid they wouldn't fit under our narrow little table. He assured me he was used to it and, like an old-fashioned lounge chair, folded up before spreading his legs almost to the other side, which no one disliked so much. was comical. My son Luca was young at the time, five or six years old, and found the scene hilarious. Also because in those days we read the BFG a lot - a favorite scene is when the Queen's servants balance table upon table to make one high enough for the giant, upon which they serve him 20 fried eggs and 40 slices of bacon.

Our great friend Stefano was playing the trumpet with his long fingers. He had come to catch up, as well as to show me how he makes pasta all' amatriciana (no onion, guanciale, wine, canned tomatoes, pecorino, rigatoni). The lesson over and the pasta eaten, I took out some peaches for the pudding. Stefano took one, peeled it, then chopped chunks of the thick, orange flesh straight into the end of his red wine. It wasn't the first time I had seen someone do this, but it was the best time; neat and satisfying. So we all joined in, peeling the peaches, dropping them, then drinking the bits from our glasses. It's such a clear memory: long limbs and wine-soaked peaches on a hot day in our old kitchen, that I've now begun to romanticize, though in reality it was a bit of a nightmare with its clogged drains and its gate falls.

It was also Stefano who suggested making the peaches in wine in advance. Because, according to him, the world is divided in two: those who peel the fruit and those who have the fruit peeled for them. At the time, I tried to disagree with him, but as the years go by, I suspect more and more that he is right. If you peel, you're probably happy to do so for the whole table, and non-peers depend on that bounty. That's why when it comes to wine and peaches, it's only up to a cook who likes to peel, and it's a very good summer pudding, basil and peaches making a brilliant couple.

You can use white, rosé or light red wine. Something you like, bearing in mind that it will be slightly sweet, contain fruit and basil, and be served ice cold. The last time I made it, I used Sicilian grillo, the time before a rosé from Puglia, the time before it was a bottle of gamay. Whichever wine you choose, chill it well.

If there are any leftovers, return the peaches and their steep liquor to the refrigerator overnight. By morning, the fruit should be absolutely soggy and slightly hairy. An ideal breakfast to drink directly from the bowl.

Peaches and basil in wine

Preparation 5 minCooking 10 minChilling 3 hours +For 4

1 bottle of wine – white, rosé or light red3 tablespoons of caster sugar6 ripe but firm peaches1 bunch of basil, picked leavesIce cubes

In a small saucepan , gently heat 100 ml of wine with the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly, then toss in a jug or bowl with the rest of the bottle of wine.

Using a sharp knife, slice the peaches in half, remove the pits, peel the skin and cut the flesh into thick slices. Cut each slice in half, to make pieces, and place them in the wine, with the basil leaves and five ice cubes. Refrigerate for at least three hours. Add five more ice cubes before pouring into bowls or glasses and serving.