Spinach & feta cannelloni

Ingredients

• 4 large sheets no-pre-cook lasagne (we used Sainsbury's fresh egg lasagne from a 250g pack)
• 1kg frozen spinach, defrosted
• 200g pack low-fat feta cheese
• generous grating nutmeg
• large handful olives, pitted and chopped
• 1 tbsp caper, rinsed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 25g parmesan, grated

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the lasagne sheets in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 mins or prepare according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach, then mix with the feta, nutmeg and some seasoning. Drain the pasta, then cut each sheet in half vertically. Spoon 4 tbsp of the filling along the centre of each half, then roll up to enclose. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish.
2. Mix the olives, capers and tomatoes together in a bowl, season, then spoon over the cannelloni. Sprinkle with parmesan, cover with foil, then bake for 20 mins.

Rustic bread

Ingredients

• 250g strong white bread flour
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 200ml sparkling water
• semolina, for sprinkling (optional)
• finely chopped rosemary and Maldon salt, for sprinklng

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Mix together the flour, yeast and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the oil, then pour in the water gradually, adding enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 4-5 mins until the dough feels strong, bouncy and has a silky feel to it.
2. Cut the dough into 8 pieces, then roll out into rough rounds about 16-17cm in diameter. (Don’t pile them on top of each other or they will stick together.)
3. Sprinkle a baking sheet or two with semolina if you have it, otherwise leave plain. Lay the breads on the sheets and let them sit for 5 mins, then scatter with rosemary, salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in batches for 8-10 mins until puffy and golden. Can be made 3-4 hrs ahead.

Tiramisu ice-cream cake

Lets go make the ice-cream cake.
 Ingredients

• 2 x 250g tubs mascarpone
• 115g caster sugar
• 6 tbsp marsala
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• 142ml tub double cream, lightly whipped
• 5 tbsp fresh ground coffee
• 85g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 200g bag Italian sponge fingers, we used Savoiardi Boudoir biscuits

To serve

• cocoa, for dusting
• 142ml tub double cream, lightly whipped
• chocolate shavings or curls

Method

1. Line a 1kg loaf tin with cling film. Beat the mascarpone, sugar and marsala together then fold in the chocolate and cream.
2. Make up the coffee with 600ml boiling water, leave for 5 mins then strain into a bowl and stir in the sugar and brandy.
3. Reserve 2 biscuits then quickly dip the remainder as you use them into the coffee mixture and line them along the base and up the long sides of the tin (they will stand above the rim).
4. Spoon in half the creamy mixture. Dip the last biscuits into the coffee and place on top end to end. Spoon the remaining creamy mixture on top, then fold over the sponge fingers above the rim and press lightly into the filling. Cover and freeze. To serve, turn out onto a plate, strip off the cling film and dust generously with cocoa. Spoon the cream down the centre and decorate with the chocolate.
   
   
   Serve the nice ice-cream cake.

Italian cottage pie

Lets go make the cottage pie

 Ingredients

• 700g floury potatoes, sliced
• 25g butter
• 50g grated parmesan
• 140g pancetta or streaky bacon, cut into strips
• 2 oregano sprigs, leaves stripped, or 2 tsp dried oregano
• ½ quantity beef with red wine & carrots (see 'Goes well with')

Method

1. First make the Beef with red wine & carrots (see 'Goes well with'). You will need half the finished stew for this recipe.
2. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 10 mins until almost done. Drain well, then mix with the butter and half the Parmesan.
3. In a large saucepan, fry the pancetta or bacon until golden. Stir in the fresh oregano leaves or dried oregano, then add the beef stew and heat through. Tip into an ovenproof dish and top with the cheesy potatoes, overlapping. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 mins until golden and crisp on top. Serve with a green salad.

Pesto & tomato pasta with crispy crumbs

Lets go make the pesto & tomato pasta with crispy crumbs

 Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp sugar
• 190g jar basil pesto
• few capers or olives (optional)
• 140g white bread - stale or fresh, whizzed into crumbs (or 140g/5oz breadcrumbs)
• 50g pine nuts, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp grated parmesan, or vegetarian alternative (optional)
• 25g butter
• 350g/12oz-400g/14oz linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle or whatever you have in the cupboard

Method

1. Gently cook the onion and half the garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for 10 mins until soft. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and simmer for 15-20 mins until saucy. Stir in half the pesto, some seasoning and a few capers or olives, if you have them. Cover and keep warm.
2. While the sauce is simmering, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the crumbs in a large baking tray with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, the rest of the garlic, the pine nuts and Parmesan, if Simple yet special storecupboard supper using. Bake for 10 mins, stirring a few times, until golden. Dot over the butter and return to the oven for 2 mins more.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Stir through the sauce with a splash of cooking water to loosen, if you need to, ripple through the remaining pesto and serve scattered with golden crumbs.

Italian vegetable soup

Lets go make the Italian vegetable soup

 Ingredients

• 2 each of onions and carrots, chopped
• 4 sticks celery, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 bay leaves
• few sprigs thyme
• 3 courgettes, chopped
• 400g can butter beans, drained
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1.2l vegetable stock
• 100g parmesan or vegetarian equivalent, grated
• 140g small pasta shapes
• small bunch basil, shredded

Method

1. Gently cook the onion, carrots and celery in the oil in a large saucepan for 20 mins, until soft. Splash in water if they stick. Add the sugar, garlic, purée, herbs and courgettes and cook for 4-5 mins on a medium heat until they brown a little.
2. Pour in the beans, tomatoes and stock, then simmer for 20 mins. If you’re freezing it, cool and do so now (freeze for up to three months). If not, add half the Parmesan and the pasta and simmer for 6-8 mins until pasta cooked. Sprinkle with basil and remaining Parmesan to serve. If frozen, defrost then re-heat before adding pasta and cheese and continuing as above.

Minestrone soup

Lets go make the Minestrone soup 

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 large potatoes, cut into small dice
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2l vegetable stock
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g can butter or cannellini beans
• 140g spaghetti, snapped into short lengths
• 1⁄2 head Savoy cabbage, shredded
• crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. In a food processor, whizz the carrots, onion and celery into small pieces. Heat the oil in a pan, add the processed vegetables, garlic and potatoes, then cook over a high heat for 5 mins until softened.
2. Stir in the tomato purée, stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 mins.
3. Tip in the beans and pasta, then cook for a further 10 mins, adding the cabbage for the final 2 mins. Season to taste and serve with crusty bread.

Pizza margherita

Lets go make the pizza margherita

Ingredients

For the base

• 300g strong bread flour
• 1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

For the tomato sauce

• 100ml pasta
• handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

For the topping

• 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
• handful grated or shaved parmesan
• handful cherry tomatoes, halved

To finish

• handful basil leaves (optional)

Method

1. Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it’s not essential for a thin crust.
2. Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.
3. Roll out the dough: If you’ve let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
4. Top and bake: Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza.

Italian stuffed chicken

Lets go make the Italian stuffed chicken

 Ingredients

• 2 tbsp chopped olives or sundried tomatoes - whatever you've got
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ½ tsp dried mixed herbs
• 200g tub full-fat soft cheese
• 4 plump boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• olive oil, for drizzling

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Beat the olives or sundried tomatoes, garlic and almost all the herbs into the cheese, then season. Cut a slit along the side of each chicken breast, then use your knife to open it out into a pocket.
2. Stuff each breast with a quarter of the cheese mix, then press to close. Lift onto a greased baking tray. Season the top of the chicken, then overlap tomato slices over the top of each piece of chicken. Season, then scatter with the remaining herbs. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Roast for 20 mins until the chicken is golden around the edges and the tomatoes look a little shrivelled. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the juices.