5 easy family dinners for £25 – Baked tortelloni, coconut curry, vegetable traybake...

Monday: Mozzarella baked tortelloni

2 x 250g packs cheese and tomato tortelloni
2½ tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g passata
½ x 250g bag baby spinach
½ x 30g pack fresh basil, leaves picked
50g black olives, roughly chopped
210g mozzarella, drained and roughly torn
250g bag crunchy salad

1. Preheat the grill of the oven to high. Bring a large pan of slightly salted water to the boil. Add the tortelloni and cook for 3 mins. Drain and set aside. They will be slightly undercooked but will continue to cook under the grill.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, lidded frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 5 mins until starting to soften, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the passata, cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 mins. Stir through the spinach and cook for another 1-2 mins until wilted. Stir through most of the basil and add the tortelloni and olives to the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Pour the tortelloni mixture into a baking dish and scatter with the torn mozzarella. Place under the grill for 3-5 mins until golden and bubbling. Scatter over the remaining basil.

4. Toss the crunchy salad in the remaining olive oil and season. Serve the tortelloni bake with the salad on the side.

Wednesday: Chickpea coconut curry

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
20g ginger, peeled and grated
400g tin plum tomatoes
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400g tin coconut milk
300g frozen garden peas
15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 plain naan, halved

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 mins until starting to soften, then add the plum tomatoes and roughly break them up with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 5 mins.

2. Add the chickpeas and coconut milk and simmer for a further 10 mins until thickened, adding the peas for the final 5 mins of cooking time. Stir through most of the coriander and season to taste.

3. Meanwhile, heat the naan according to the pack instructions. Divide the chickpea coconut curry between four shallow bowls and scatter with the remaining coriander. Serve with the naan and lime wedges on the side.

Thursday: Cheesy vegetable lentil traybake

400g pack Mediterranean-style vegetables
4 garlic cloves, bashed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 x 390g tins green lentils, drained and rinsed
50g pitted black olives, roughly chopped
200g halloumi or grilling cheese, sliced
½ x 30g pack fresh coriander, roughly chopped, a few leaves reserved for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Place the vegetables and garlic cloves into a large baking dish, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season. Cook in the oven for 25 mins. Remove the dish from the oven and turn the grill onto high.

2. Add the lentils and olives to the tray and toss well to combine. Place the sliced grilling cheese on top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Place under the grill for a further 3-5 mins until the cheese is golden.

3. Remove the dish from the oven and scatter over the coriander. Divide between 4 plates and serve immediately.

Friday: Bolognese hash

500g baby potatoes, cut into 1cm dice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g beef mince
3 tbsp tomato purée
½ x 30g pack fresh basil, leaves picked

1. Bring a large pan of slightly salted water to the boil and add the potatoes. Simmer for 10 mins until nearly tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, parsnips and garlic along with some seasoning and cook for 10 mins until softened and golden, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes and cook for a further 5 mins until golden and crisp. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. 

3. Add the beef mince to the pan and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 mins, then add the tomato purée to the pan and cook for a further 2 mins until well browned. Add the vegetables back into the pan and cook for a final 5 mins. Stir through most of the basil and season to taste.

4. Divide the hash between 4 plates and garnish with the remaining basil before serving.