5 easy family dinners for £25 - June

Monday: Greek-style meatball pittas

500g pack turkey thigh mince
2 garlic cloves, 1 crushed, 1 sliced
1 tsp dried oregano, plus a pinch
½ lemon, zested and juiced
2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp for oiling
2 red peppers, sliced
6 wholemeal pittas
150g baby spinach
½ red onion, finely sliced
50g feta, crumbled

1. Preheat the grill to high. Mix the turkey mince, crushed garlic, 1 tsp oregano and lemon zest in a bowl; season. Mix well with clean hands, then roll into 12 meatballs and transfer to a foil-lined, lightly oiled baking tray. Grill the meatballs for 15 mins, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the peppers for 8-10 mins, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned. Add the sliced garlic and fry for 2-3 mins more until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant. Add a pinch of oregano; season.

3. Toast the pittas under the grill alongside the meatballs, or in the toaster until crisp, then halve to create two pockets. Whisk the lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil in a large bowl; season. Stir in the spinach and red onion and toss to coat. Stuff the pittas with some of the salad, then add the meatballs, fried peppers and a crumbling of feta. Serve 1½ pittas with the remaining salad on the side (or serve at the table and let everyone help themselves).

Wednesday: Cheesy broccoli calzone

2 x 145g packs pizza base mix
plain flour, for dusting
500g frozen broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
250g tub ricotta
3 spring onions, finely sliced
25g grated pecorino
200g jar smooth tomato sauce

1. Tip both packs of pizza base mix into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add 200ml warm water. Bring together in the bowl with your fingertips to make a rough ball, then tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Divide the dough into 4 balls, cover with a clean tea towel or upturned bowl and leave to rise for about 15 mins while you make the filling.

2. Bring a large pan of boiling salted water to the boil. Cook the broccoli for 4-5 mins until thawed and warmed through. Drain, reserving 50ml cooking water. Roughly chop the drained broccoli and set aside. 

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 30 secs until fragrant. Tip in most of the drained broccoli, reserving a small handful of florets. Add the reserved water and cook for 10 mins stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated and the broccoli breaks down into a coarse mash. Use a potato masher to break down any larger florets; season well. Stir in the ricotta, spring onions and cheese and cook for 2-3 mins more until any residual water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and leave to cool briefly.

4. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Roll or press the pizza balls out on a floured worksurface to 20cm rounds, about 3-4mm thick. Divide the broccoli filling between the pizza rounds, piling it up on one side of the circles and leaving a 1cm border. Top with the reserved broccoli florets.

5. Fold the empty half circles over the top of the filling and crimp with your fingers to pinch together and seal in the filling. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 mins until golden and puffed.

6. Meanwhile, heat the sauce in a small pan over a medium low heat until just simmering. Transfer to a bowl and serve alongside the calzone for dunking.

Friday: Grilled teriyaki fish with veg and noodles

3 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
20g ginger, 10g finely grated, 10g finely sliced into matchsticks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 white fish fillets, thawed
2 tbsp veg oil plus 1 tsp for greasing
250g medium egg noodles
400g frozen broccoli
½ red onion, sliced 
2 peppers, deseeded and sliced
3 spring onions, white and greens separated and sliced
1 lime, juiced

1. Put 2 tbsp soy sauce, the honey, finely grated ginger and half the garlic in a small pan and simmer over a low heat for 3-4 mins until glossy and thickened slightly.

2. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper, then transfer to a foil-lined, lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the fish with half the glaze and grill for 5 mins. Brush with the remaining teriyaki sauce halfway and cook for a further 5 mins until sticky, glazed and cooked through and flaking when gently pressed.

3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles to pack instructions mins until just tender. Add the broccoli for the last 1-2 mins of cooking to thaw, then drain well. Halve the broccoli florets if large. 

4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or deep frying pan over a high heat. Add the red onion and peppers and stir fry for 5 mins until lightly golden at the edges, then stir in the ginger matchsticks, remaining garlic, and spring onion whites. Fry for 1 min until fragrant then toss in the cooked noodles and broccoli. Stir-fry for 1-2 mins to heat through, mixing well to distribute the noodles through the veg. Stir through the lime juice and remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce then serve alongside the teriyaki fish, scattered with the spring onion greens.