🥘 Carole’s shredded filo börek…

Originating from Turkey, börek is similar to a frittata but made with filo pastry and is an ideal use up dish. Use any leftover pieces of cheese grated and mixed together and cooked with strips of filo pastry. We have used feta, but halloumi, parmesan, manchego, cheddar or mozzarella all go well. Use a fresh chilli finely chopped if you want it with extra zing.

Ingredients:

270g filo pastry
1 courgette
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
100g spinach, cut into 2cm-wide slices
200g feta
4 eggs
200ml milk
80ml olive oil
1 tbsp nigella seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp pul biber

***Pul Biber is also known as chilli flakes***

Step by step:

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan) gas 7. Take the filo pastry out of the packet, keeping it in a roll (it usually comes in one) and cut it into 1cm-wide shreds. Separate the shreds like noodles on to a tray and leave to dry while you make the filling. Grate the courgette, then strain off the excess liquid by squeezing it between your hands, I squeeze the courgette in a clean tea towel to remove even more moisture. Put the grated courgette into a bowl, add the spring onions and spinach, crumble in the feta and mix thoroughly.
Beat the eggs in another bowl, then add the milk and oil, and mix thoroughly. Combine the courgette and egg mixtures, then start stirring the filling into the filo pastry a handful at a time, making sure each addition has been absorbed before stirring in the next.
Tip the filo mix into a 23cm round nonstick ovenproof dish (you could also use a cake tin or any oven dish, so long as it’s roughly the same size and the mix is about 5cm thick). A square dish or tray is nice for presentation of the börek in squares. Sprinkle the sesame and nigella seeds and pul biber over the top, then bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least an hour before slicing and serving.

Tips:

Use whichever vegetables you prefer, or have to use up. I often add sliced mushrooms and red onions.
Traditionally, chefs make börek with Turkish yufka dough, which is a very thin, unleavened dough made from flour, water, and salt.
If you want a sweeter börek, put a drizzle of honey on top when you serve.

Variation:

Use three sheets of yufka, placing one in the base of the baking tin and the other two hanging over the sides of the tin. Place the filling in the baking tin and pull up the sides to cover the filling completely. Brush with the egg and sprinkle more nigella and sesame seeds over. Bake for about 20 minutes checking occasionally that it doesn’t burn.

🥘 Best pesto…

Most jars of pesto are 190g which makes price comparisons easy. However, there is a big difference in the taste and having tried most leading brands here are my Top 3.

Filippo Berio classic pesto predictably came out on top
LIDL Baressa green pesto at half the price came second
M&S Green Basil Pesto was the most expensive and came third

How we calculate the best value? We compare pack size and price, taste test results and arrive at an overall satisfaction rating.

Shop / Brand	Pack	Price	Rank	Taste	Value

Filippo Berio	190g	£2.00	1	5	5
LIDL	190g	99p	2	4	5
M&S	190g	£2.20	3	4	2

Research data 2nd April 2025

No other brand came near these three in taste tests and LIDL Baresa is clearly a great value product.

Filippo Berio – Classic Pesto

Made with Italian ingredients to a traditional Italian recipe, this olive oil based pesto has an appetising colour and texture together with an excellent flavour due to the use of grana padano and pecorino.

LIDL Baresa – Green Pesto

Rather more oily than Filippo Berio but with a nice herby flavour. There is a nice citrus taste that develops as its heated. A perfectly acceptable flavour and worth stocking up at this price.

M&S Green Basil Pesto

Slightly sweeter and nuttier flavour which the children liked. With pine and cashew nuts, it has a good texture and a worthy third place.

🥘 Carole’s minestrone and kielbasa soup…

🥘 1 pan | 🍽 Serves 4 | ⏱ 25 mins
🛒 12 ingredients | £1.50pp

Kielbasa is the generic name for any Polish meat filled sausage and is available in most Polish supermarkets.

The smoky flavour of the sausage and addition of gnocchi makes this a delicious and hearty soup. Ready in less than half an hour, it freezes well in the very unlikely event there are any leftovers.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
6 mushrooms, chopped
2 low salt vegetable stock cubes to make 500ml stock
1 tin cannellini beans
1 tin tomatoes
1/4 Polish sausage, chopped
1/2 packet gnocchi
Chopped parsley

Step by step:

Sauté the chopped vegetables in the olive oil, approx 5 minutes
Add the tomatoes, stock and sausage. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked
Add the gnocchi which will thicken the soup and cook for another 3-5 minutes

Notes:

We use Kallo® organic vegetable very low salt stock cubes.

£1.50 for 8 cubes – Waitrose Special Offer

🥘 Rhubarb cheesecake…

This attractive cheesecake is ideal for a dinner party dessert. Serve with stewed rhubarb pulp.

Equipment needed:

A loose bottomed 20cm round cake tin and a food processor

Ingredients:

FOR THE BASE

flavourless oil, to grease
200g digestive biscuits
75g butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

4 sheets of leaf gelatine
juice and zest of 2 lemons
500g mascarpone
2 x 180g packs full-fat soft cheese (we used Philadelphia)
100g caster sugar

FOR THE RHUBARB JELLY

400g rhubarb, chopped
125g caster sugar
4 sheets of leaf gelatine

Line the base of the cake tin and brush the sides lightly with oil.
For the base, blitz the biscuits into crumbs in a food processor, combine them with the melted butter and stir well so all the crumbs are coated in the butter. Press into the base of the tin in an even layer. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
For the cheesecake layer, soften the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Put the lemon juice in a pan and heat until just simmering. Remove from the heat. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the gelatine, then add it to the lemon juice. Stir until dissolved, then set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Put the mascarpone, soft cheese, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the lemon and gelatine mixture and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. Pour into the tin and smooth the top, making sure that it’s as level as you can make it. Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or until set firm.
To make the jelly, put the rhubarb and sugar in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the rhubarb is very soft. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes until soft.
Press the rhubarb through a sieve, catching the juice in a jug underneath, then set the rhubarb pulp aside. Add the gelatine to the hot rhubarb liquid and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then pour the jelly over the top of the cheesecake. Cover and chill for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight if possible, to set firmly.
To serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and slice into 8 slices.

🥘 Carole’s homemade granola…

*🥘 1 pan and 2 mixing bowls 🍽 Serves 12 🛒 4 ⏱ 30 mins £8 (V) (LF)* (LS)

Nothing quite beats the taste of homemade granola and once you get used to making your own, shop bought will never taste as good again. Use nuts of your choice, we use Sainsbury’s So Organic mixed nuts. Not the cheapest option, but they give great results.

Ingredients:

350g oats
300g mixed nuts
120g light butter
100g honey

Step by step:

1 Set your oven to 160C (140C fan), gas 3.

2 Stir and mix together the oats and nuts in a large bowl.

3 Melt the butter and honey, and stir well to combine. We do this in the microwave for convenience, otherwise use a saucepan over a medium low heat.

4 Tip the butter and honey mixture into the bowl of oats and nuts. Stir well so the granola mix is well coated with the butter and honey.

5 Spread the granola mix on a baking tray and place on a low shelf in the pre-heated oven. Keep checking the mixture every 10 minutes and keep turning the mixture so it cooks evenly.

**Clover Light £2.45 / 500g Sainsbury’s**

**Sainsbury’s *So Organic* Mixed Nuts £5 / 300g**

🥘 Carole’s – chicken, vegetable and noodle soup…

Cooler evenings arrive and it’s time for a warming soup. Quick and easy, this one pot soup using up yesterday’s leftover cooked chicken hits the spot.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, chopped
3 small potatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
6 mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
750ml low salt chicken stock
2 legs cooked chicken off the bone
1/2 pack fideo noodles
1 big handful parsley, chopped
croutons

Step by step:

Put the oil in your pan, add all the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the flour over and cook for another 2 minutes
Add 750ml hot chicken stock
Continue cooking until vegetables are soft. Add the cooked chicken, noodles and parsley. Cook for another 5 minutes approx.
Season to taste and serve with croutons and extra chopped parsley

Kallo stock cubes available from most supermarkets

Notes:

Use ginger, garlic and coriander for an Asian flavour variation

🥘 Aldi chicken burger with Spanish style grains…

Out in the caravan, this is a quick and delicious meal. Cook your burgers on the George Foreman grill, and the grains in the microwave.

🥘 1 pan 🍽 Serves 2 🛒 2 ingredients ⏱ 15 minutes £5

Ingredients:

2 Roosters 100% chicken burgers
1 pack Spanish style grains

Step by step:

Cook your burgers on the grill and pop your Spanish style grains either in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
Rustle up a salad and dressing or boil some peas.

Notes:

Rooster chicken burgers contain fewer nasties than many other processed foods and are a good quick on-the-go meal. They are low fat and a little salty, so you only need a good grind of black pepper for seasoning.

The Spanish style grains are a nice blend of whole long grain rice, and black rice, spiced with chilli flakes, smoked paprika and yeast extract.

🥘 Spaghetti with garlic and oil…

Spaghetti aglio e olio has to be one of the world’s greatest dishes. Just a few ingredients, cooked well and you have the perfect lunch.

🥘 2 pans 🍽 Serves 4 🛒 6 ingredients ⏱ 30 minutes £3 V

Ingredients:

400g spaghetti
3 fresh red chillies
3 garlic cloves
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and black pepper

Step by step:

Cook the spaghetti in a pot of salted boiling water until it is soft but still has a little bite.
While the spaghetti is cooking, remove the seeds and pith from the chillies and chop them finely. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the garlic and chillies gently for a few minutes.
Drain the spaghetti and add it to the frying pan, mix to coat with the oil.
Sprinkle the spaghetti with the parsley, season with salt and serve.

Notes:

Leave the seeds and pith in the chillies if you want it a little hotter

🥘 Spaghetti with courgette, chilli and chorizo…

🥘 2 pans 🍽 Serves 2 🛒 10 ingredients ⏱ 30 minutes £6

Chorizo, courgettes and chillies added to a basic carbonara make a delicious, quick and easy lunch or weeknight supper. Quartering and slicing your courgette and finely slicing the spring onions gives an attractive finish.

Ingredients:

150g spaghetti
50g lardons
50g chorizo, chopped
1 medium size courgette, chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
1 small chilli, chopped (optional)
50ml single cream (optional)
1 pinch chilli flakes
1 lemon, zested and juiced
basil, a good handful

Step by step:

Step 1

Put your spaghetti on to cook as per the pack instructions, minus about one minute than stated cooking time.

Step 2

Prepare your ingredients and cook off the lardons, chorizo for a couple of minutes until they are nice and crispy. Add the courgette and chilli. After approximately 5 minutes, turn the heat down.

Step 3

Add your spaghetti to the pan, using tongs and stir in a little cream and cook for about a minute on the low heat. Add a splash or two of the pasta cooking water if needed. If you want more of a classic carbonara flavour, add a beaten egg with some grated parmesan to the sauce.

Step 4

We have used a thin spaghetti and made a light creamy sauce, Penne also works well. Chilli flakes are always a favourite store cupboard item.

Stir the spaghetti through the other ingredients in the pan and check the pasta is done. Serve with the basil scattered over and a bowl of grated parmesan to the side. A squeeze of lemon juice is always welcome.

Using Penne, the pasta soaks up all the sauce and a good grating of parmesan on top to serve.

🥘 Carole’s Shakshuka with chorizo…

Shakshuka originates from North Africa and the Middle East and the name comes from the Arabic word meaning “mixed” or “shaken up”. Originally a vegetarian dish, it is often cooked with chorizo or merguez sausage.

**🥘 1 pot 🍽 Serves 2 🛒 13 ingredients ⏱ 30 minutes £5**

Did you know?

You can vary the colour of shakshuka, simply by changing the ingredients. Make it green using green peppers and chillies and chopped spinach. Yellow peppers and chopped butternut squash will give you a nice orange colour.

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
100g chorizo, sliced
2 roasted red peppers from a jar
1 garlic clove, minced or chopped
a good handful of coriander, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 birds eye chilli, chopped or chilli flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
Tomato sauce
4 fresh tomatoes
4 large eggs
chopped parsley and mint to garnish

Step by step:

Make the shakshuka sauce...

Step 1.

In a large lidded pan, sautee the chopped onions and chorizo and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add the peppers and garlic with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt, coriander, paprika, cumin and chopped chilli, or chilli flakes (if using) and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chop or mince your garlic to vary the flavour

Step 2.

Add the tomatoes and a good glug of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, cover and leave to simmer for about 15 mins. Uncover and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened.

When the sauce is ready, add the eggs...

Step 3.

We added poached eggs separately on this occasion. Normally, we just make wells in the sauce and crack in the eggs.

Serve the dish in the pan garnished with the parsley and mint. Some crusty baguette is great for mopping up the sauce.