by Tom Kerridge
2 Pour the yeast liquid into the flour well and mix until the dough starts to come together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead to a smooth dough. To knead, use the heel of one hand to stretch the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself and turn the dough 90°. Repeat and continue until you have a nice smooth ball of dough; this will take around 10 minutes.
3 Place the dough in a large bowl dusted lightly with semolina flour, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes – 1 hour.
4 Meanwhile, to make the tomato sauce, pour the passata into a saucepan and add the garlic, oregano and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
5 Preheat the oven to 250°C/Fan 240°C/Gas 10. Place two baking trays (preferably without a lip) inside to heat up.
6 Turn out the pizza dough onto a clean surface, knock back (or knead again to knock out the air) and divide into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a ball. Roll out one ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to a thin round.
7 Sprinkle a baking sheet (not preheated) with a little semolina flour and lift the pizza base onto it. Spoon 3–4 tbsp tomato sauce into the middle and spread it out over the dough, leaving a 1–2cm clear margin around the edge. Scatter 80g grated mozzarella over evenly, then add your choice of pizza toppings, distributing them evenly over the sauce.
8 When you are ready to cook, gently shake the pizza tray to loosen the base from it. Open the oven door, pull a heated tray out halfway and slide the pizza onto the hot tray, closing the oven door as soon as possible to keep the heat in. Bake for 8–12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the dough is golden brown.
9 Repeat to shape, assemble and bake the remaining pizzas. Either serve each pizza straight away, as it comes out of the oven, or keep warm in a second low oven until they are all ready.
To freeze leftover tomato sauce: Allow to cool, then freeze in a sealed container. Defrost fully in the fridge before using.
Easy homemade pizzas
Creamy butternut squash pasta bake
Rich and creamy, this could easily become a new favourite at home. It’s also a great way of getting a big portion of veg into your family without them even noticing! It’s all about the toppings: crunchy seeds and breadcrumbs, sweet chunks of butternut squash and nuggets of acidity from the sun-blushed tomatoes. V ❄
Serves 6
575 calories per serving
1kg butternut squash, cut into chunks (about 2cm)
1 tbsp olive oil
500g macaroni
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the cheese sauce
60g butter
60g plain flour
1 litre whole milk
1 tbsp liquid aminos
60g Parmesan, finely grated
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
For the topping
A handful of sage leaves
40g sun-blushed tomatoes, roughly chopped
50g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp pumpkin oil (or use olive oil)
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Line a large roasting tray with baking parchment.
2 Place the squash in the roasting tray. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cook on the top shelf of the oven for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender and browned at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly for a couple of minutes. (Keep the oven on.)
3 Tip three-quarters of the roasted squash into a blender and blitz to a purée; set the rest aside.
4 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook until almost al dente (2–3 minutes less than the time suggested on the packet).
5 Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens slightly. Lower the heat and add the liquid aminos, Parmesan and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has melted, then stir through the squash purée to make a rich, smooth sauce. Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6 Drain the macaroni, add to the sauce and stir well. Tip into a large, deep baking dish, about 25 x 30cm. Scatter over the rest of the roasted squash, the sage, sun-blushed tomatoes and breadcrumbs. Drizzle with the oil. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, turning on the oven grill at the same time. Bake for 10 minutes.
7 Take out the dish, scatter the pumpkin seeds evenly over the surface and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve at once, with a green salad.
To freeze: Cool and pack in a lidded foil tray (or several trays). Defrost fully in the fridge, then remove the lid and reheat in an oven preheated to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6 for 30 minutes, until hot all the way through. If the surface appears to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Creamy butternut squash pasta bake
Roasted winter sprout curry
This is a fantastic way of getting people to eat Brussels sprouts, even if they claim not to like them. It’s such a full-flavoured dish that it also works well as a side on Christmas day with roast turkey. As a midweek winter meal, serve the curry with rice and parathas or flatbreads, or the naans here. V
Serves 4
660 calories per serving
975 calories with raita and paratha
800g Brussels sprouts, halved
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 long green chillies, thinly sliced and deseeded
500ml vegetable stock
100g desiccated coconut, toasted
A handful of coriander, finely chopped
50g flaked almonds, toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the paneer
1 tsp vegetable oil
225g paneer, cut into cubes
½ tsp ground turmeric
To serve
Parathas, ready-made (optional)
Raita (optional)
1 In a large bowl, toss the sprouts with the whole and ground spices and season with salt and pepper.
2 Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat, add the onions and cook for 5–10 minutes or until they are starting to brown. Add the remaining oil with the garlic and chillies and cook for 1 minute.
3 Toss in the sprouts and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring a few times.
4 Meanwhile, to cook the paneer, heat the 1 tsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the paneer, sprinkle with the turmeric and a pinch of salt and toss the pan to coat the paneer in the seasoning. Cook for 4–5 minutes, tossing the pan regularly, until the cubes are browned all over.
5 When the sprouts are tender, stir through the paneer and coconut. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then toss through the chopped coriander and toasted almonds. Serve at once, with parathas and raita if you like.
Roasted winter sprout curry
WE ALL LIVE BUSY LIVES and it can be easy to resort to convenience food. But, from first-hand experience, I also know that all those takeaways, quick-cook ready meals and high-calorie snacks are only going to make things worse in the long run.
When life gets hectic, we rely on food to give us the energy we need to power on through, so it should be properly nutritious. If lack of time is one of the reasons you’re struggling to cook from scratch every day, spend a morning or afternoon every now and then cooking to create meals for your freezer. You may want to eat part of the food you’ve cooked straight away
then freeze the rest, or you might want to portion up the whole lot into freezable containers. Either way, you’ll be creating your own freezer meals, ready to take out, defrost and reheat when needed – proper, homemade convenience food!
For this chapter I’ve created plenty of recipes that are perfect for batch cooking, such as tasty curries, meatballs, fish cakes and a cheesy lasagne. And some of these dishes taste even better after they have been frozen because the flavours have had longer to mellow and become friends. Butternut squash and chickpea curry is a really good example of this.
Of course, I’m not totally against all convenience food. But I guarantee that if you make a little effort up front, you will reap the benefits. You’ll feel more in control of the food you and your family eat, you’ll be eating better-quality and healthier meals – and you’ll be saving money too. Investing a little time now means you’re much less likely to give in to any junk food temptations when you’re tired and hungry.
Moroccan chicken with preserved lemons
Preserved lemons are such a wonderful ingredient. Chopped up, they create the fantastic bitter-sweet, summery layer of flavour running through this dish, which complements the heady north African spices. Keep a jar of them in the fridge to bring life to tagines and stews, couscous and rice dishes, salads and dressings. ❄
Serves 6
565 calories per serving
1 tbsp olive oil
12 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
3 onions, cut into 2.5cm wedges
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ras el hanout
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
600g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 litre chicken stock
A large pinch of saffron strands
120g green olives, drained
4 preserved lemons (from a jar), chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the couscous
1 tsp olive oil
400g wholewheat giant couscous
600ml chicken stock
To finish
A handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 Heat the olive oil in large non-stick sauté pan over a high heat. Season the chicken well on both sides with salt and pepper. Lay 6 chicken thighs in the pan and cook, turning until golden brown on both sides, then remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining thighs.
2 Add the onions to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the ground ginger, cinnamon and ras el hanout and stir for 30 seconds. Add the carrots, potatoes, chicken stock and saffron. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3 Return the chicken to the pan and add the olives and preserved lemons. Put a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes or until the veg are tender.
4 Meanwhile, for the couscous, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Tip in the couscous and toast gently, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 minutes until golden. Pour in the chicken stock and cook gently until the couscous is tender and the liquid has evaporated. Season well with salt and pepper.
5 Serve the Moroccan chicken in warmed bowls with the couscous, scattered with chopped coriander.
To freeze: Cool and freeze the chicken (but not the couscous) in two-portion lidded foil trays. Defrost fully in the fridge overnight. Cover loosely with foil, and reheat in an oven preheated to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6 for 30 minutes or until piping hot.
Moroccan chicken with preserved lemons
Chicken and pearl barley soup
When it’s chilly outside, make a big batch of this warming soup for a comforting supper, or take it to work in a flask for an easy lunch. Dried mushrooms lend lots of flavour here. They are a great store-cupboard ingredient to have on hand for pepping up soups, pasta sauces, stews and casseroles. ❄
Serves 6
670 calories per serving
690 calories with Parmesan
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
4 celery sticks, diced
2 courgettes, diced
2 leeks, trimmed, well washed and diced
2 litres fresh chicken stock
1 litre water
A bunch of thyme sprigs, tied with string
2 bay leaves
250g pearl barley
40g dried porcini mushrooms
1.5kg free-range whole chicken, spatchcocked or quartered, skin removed
200g cavolo nero, tough stalks removed, chopped roughly
250g frozen peas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
30g Parmesan, freshly grated, to serve (optional)
1 Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, courgettes and leeks and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until softened.
2 Pour in the chicken stock and water and add the thyme, bay leaves, pearl barley and dried porcini. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
3 Lay the chicken in the casserole, season generously with pepper and simmer gently for 1 hour, turning the chicken over halfway through cooking.
4 Lift the chicken out of the broth onto a plate and allow to cool a little. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaves from the broth. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and shred into bite-sized pieces.
5 Bring the broth back to a simmer and stir in the cavolo nero and peas. Cook for 2 minutes, then return the chicken to the soup and stir well. Taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
6 Ladle into warmed bowls and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Best served with grated Parmesan.
To freeze: Allow to cool, then freeze in two-portion containers. Defrost fully in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a saucepan over a medium heat, until hot all the way through.
Chicken and pearl barley soup
Chicken and new potato curry
If you haven’t made a curry before, this is a great recipe to start off with, as it is based on ingredients and flavours that everyone knows and understands instinctively. ❄
Serves 6
535 calories per serving
690 calories with rice, poppadoms and salad
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large onions, finely diced
7cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
6 large garlic cloves, finely grated
A large handful of curry leaves
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp hot chilli powder
6 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp salt
400ml carton passata
1.5kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs, halved
200ml chicken stock
600g Jersey Royal potatoes, halved
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped, to finish
To serve (optional)
Cooked brown basmati rice
Poppadoms (cooked in the microwave)
Cucumber, tomato and red onion salad
1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes or until softened and well browned.
2 Add the ginger, garlic and curry leaves and cook for 2–3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the ground and whole spices and salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3 Pour in the passata, bring to a simmer and cook over a low heat, stirring often, for 2 minutes to create an aromatic base.
4 Add the chicken thighs and stock, stir well a
nd bring back to a gentle simmer. Put the lid on and cook for 10 minutes.
5 Stir in the potatoes, then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so to make sure the curry doesn’t catch on the bottom on the pan. Remove the lid and cook for a further 10–15 minutes until the liquor has reduced slightly.
6 Serve scattered with chopped coriander, with brown rice and poppadoms if you like. A refreshing cucumber salad is lovely on the side.
To freeze: Allow the curry to cool, then freeze in two-portion containers. Defrost fully in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a saucepan over a medium heat until hot all the way through. You may need to add a little extra liquid to loosen the curry as you reheat it.
Butternut squash and chickpea curry
Butternut squash and chickpeas are a great combination and, if you mostly stick to staples like carrots and potatoes, this curry is a nice way of trying out different veg. This is also a good example of a dish that actually tastes better when it is reheated, as the flavours mellow and develop over time. V ❄
Serves 6
425 calories per serving
590 calories with rice and salad
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
12 cardamom pods, split
A handful of curry leaves
2 large onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, grated
5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 litre hot vegetable stock
1kg peeled, deseeded butternut squash (prepared weight), cut into 2.5cm chunks
250ml coconut cream
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
200g green beans, cut into 2.5cm lengths
To serve (optional)
