Five tasty and affordable fakeaway recipes

1. Red pesto sausage pasta with courgette

Serves 4

Price: £1.11 per portion

Ingredients:

• 6 x Italian sausages
• 200g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp red pesto
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 courgette
• 500g pasta
• 1 onion
• Oil for frying
• 2 cloves of garlic

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for a minute.
2. Take the skin off the sausages and add the meat to the pan. Break up with a spatula.
3. Take another pan and boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
4. Once the sausage meat is browning*, add in the chopped courgette and 1 tbsp of tomato purée. Stir on a medium heat for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the red pesto, reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, add the cream cheese and fold through.
7. Reserve a cup of the pasta water and, little by little, add as much as you like to the pasta sauce until it’s at your desired consistency.
8. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you didn’t use Italian sausages, you could add a little Italian seasoning here.
9. Serve, topping with some parmesan if you fancy.

*you can add a splash of red wine here to intensify the sauce, but totally optional.

2. Two ingredient flatbread pizzas

Makes 4 pizza flatbreads

Price: 70p per pizza

Ingredients:

• 500g Greek yogurt
• 500g self raising flour 
• Garlic salt
• 1 tbsp tomato purée per flatbread
• 1 ball of mozzarella
• Basil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Italian herbs

Method:

1. In a bowl, add Greek yogurt and sieve in the self raising flour.
2. Mix together and season with salt and pepper - you can also add a little garlic salt or other seasonings. Get your hands into the bowl and really mix the dough together kneading it until it’s a smooth ball.
3. Leave the dough to rest for up to 30 mins, covering it with a clean tea towel.
4. After the dough has rested, place onto a floured chopping board and divide into 4. With a rolling pin, roll out into your pizza bases. Keep flouring the board if it gets sticky.
5. Transfer the dough into an airfryer or oven and cook just one side for 2 mins (if using an oven it may need slightly longer) remove and place back onto the chopping board with the crispier side facing down.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the tomato purée, Italian herbs, olive oil and mix.
7. Spread a tbsp of the mix onto the non-crispy side of the pizza dough along with some thinly sliced mozzarella.
8. Transfer back into the airfryer or oven and cook for 4-5 mins until cooked and the cheese has melted.
9. Sprinkle over some fresh basil and enjoy!

Top tip: you can get even more creative by stuffing the pizza edges (crusts) with some cheese and folding it over. You can of course add any other toppings too!

3. Firecracker chicken curry

Serves 4 portions

Price: £1.21 per portion

Ingredients:

• 400g chicken thigh fillets- top tip: save money by buying a 900g pack and use the rest for the peri peri chicken pittas recipe below.
• 1 red pepper
• 1 pack of mangetout
• 1 white onion
• 1 lime
• 3 tbsp sriracha
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
• Half tsp fish sauce (optional)
• 1 tbsp ginger puree
• 100ml soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 portions white rice
• 1 red chilli (deseeded)
• Oil for frying
• Spring onion & coriander (optional)

Method:

1. Thinly slice the chicken and marinate in a bowl with freshly squeezed lime, garlic, ginger purée, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp of soy sauce and some freshly chopped coriander (if you like it!).
2. In a separate bowl make the firecracker sauce by adding vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, the remaining soy sauce, sriracha & optional fish sauce. Stir to combine.
3. If serving with rice, make it per packet instructions.
4. Heat some oil in a wok and fry the chicken until almost cooked through.
5. Add sliced onion and cook for a minute. Next, add your firecracker sauce, cook for a further minute, then finally add the sliced pepper, chilli and mangetout and cook until softened.
6. Serve with the rice or on its own. You can also top with chopped spring onions, more coriander, sprinkle some chilli flakes onto the rice and add a lime wedge for that final touch.

4. Peri peri chicken pittas

Makes 4 pittas

Price: £1.25 per pitta

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken thigh fillets
• 3 tbsp peri peri sauce
• 4 pitta breads
• Half pack halloumi or feta
• 1 red onion
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Chilli flakes
• Lettuce
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. In a bowl, add chicken thighs and peri peri sauce, stir and allow the meat to marinate for a minimum of 30 mins.
2. Carefully and thinly slice a red onion lengthways.
3. Heat a pan with some oil and fry the onions for a minute, then add the sugar and balsamic vinegar. Allow to simmer on the lowest heat and cook down for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Add some chilli flakes if you wish.
4. Whilst this is simmering, add the chicken thighs to an airfryer or oven until thoroughly cooked and crispy. Allow them to rest for a few minutes, then slice.
5. Cook the halloumi cheese in the airfryer or oven for a few minutes.
6. Slice open your pitta breads, add in some chopped chicken thighs to each pitta, then a generous spoonful of the onion chutney, some halloumi, and pop back into the oven to allow the pitta to crisp slightly.
7. Remove, add some fresh lettuce leaves and enjoy!

5. Hidden vegetable & lentil lasagne

Makes 6-8 portions

Price: 8 portions - £0.97 per portion or 6 portions - £1.30 per portion

Ingredients:

• 500g lasagne sheets
• 1 pint milk
• 300g mature cheese
• 2 tbsp flour
• 50g butter
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 500g passata
• Can of cooked green or puy lentil
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 sticks celery
• Large handful of grated parmesan
• 100g tomato purée
• Courgette
• Aubergine
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• Oil for frying
• Optional extras - splash of red wine, worcester sauce or marmite

Method:

1. Preheat a fan oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Heat some oil in a large saucepan and add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add the courgette and aubergine, stir then add in tomato purée. Mix together and simmer for 5 minutes so the purée intensifies and deepens in flavour*. Keep an eye on the pot while it’s simmering.
4. Add the Italian herbs, salt and pepper and passata. Stir and allow this to simmer for a further 15 minutes, then add in the pre-cooked lentils. Stir and continue to simmer on low, stirring occasionally, whilst you continue the next step.
5. Now start your bechamel sauce by melting butter in a separate saucepan.
6. Add the flour and whisk to a paste. Then gradually, whilst whisking, add the milk.
7. Reduce the bechamel sauce to a medium heat and allow the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper - a pinch of nutmeg or garlic powder is great here too.
8. Add 300g cheese to the sauce and melt through.
9. Now start to build your lasagne. Start with some of the tomato veggie sauce, then sheets of pasta, topped with some bechamel, a little sprinkle of parmesan then another layer of lasagne sheets, pressing firmly down. Repeat.
10. Finish with a final layer of pasta sheets and drench the top with the remaining bechamel sauce - you can add more cheese here for a crispy top - a thick layer of Parmesan works so well!
11. Bake in the oven for 40 mins.
12. Allow the lasagne to rest for a minimum of 5 minutes before cutting into slices.
13. Serve on its own or with a side salad, vegetables or some garlic bread!

*tip- to increase the flavour, you can also add a splash of red wine and/or some Worcester sauce here. Please note, Worcester sauce isn’t vegan or veggie but a tsp of marmite would also work.