Midweek meals: Five cosy family dinners you can cook in an hour or less

These dishes are perfect for cooler autumn evenings

These comfort food recipes are sure to satisfy

Tagliatelle with mozzarella and fresh basil

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

A quick, comforting lunch or dinner

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 350g of dried tagliatelle

• 2 shallots, finely sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• 180mls tomato passata

• 1 tsp chopped thyme

• 2 balls mozzarella, cut into large cubes

• A bunch of fresh basil, roughly ripped up

Method

1. Cook your pasta.

2. Sauté the shallots in a dash of olive oil until translucent and add the garlic for the last minute. Add in the passata and thyme. Allow to bubble on a low heat for ten minutes. Season to taste.

3. Toss your pasta in the sauce and toss in the mozzarella and basil. Season and serve.

 

Money-saving chilli con carne

recipe by:Mitch Lane - Feed Your Family For Under A Fiver

This speedy meal for four uses storecupboard ingredients.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 50 mins

Total Time

 55 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1tsp vegetable or olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 green chillies, finely chopped, plus 1 to serve

• 500g minced beef

• 41g packet of chilli con carne seasoning

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 130g tin kidney beans, drained

• 300ml beef stock (made with a stock cube)

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Put a pan on a medium heat and add the oil and the onion and soften for three to four minutes. Add the garlic and chillies and continue to cook for a further two minutes. If you’re not keen on a lot of spice just use one chilli and remove the seeds.

2. Add the mince and break it up with the back of a spoon, ensuring that there’s no big lumps. Cook the meat until it’s nice and brown. Be generous with the salt and pepper and then add the chilli con carne seasoning. Mix well.

3. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans and stir. Then pour in the beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes. The simmering is very important (it’s like a fine wine that gets better with age).

4. Serve with sliced chilli.