Take Life Easy with Easy 10

Take Life Easy with Easy 10 – Wouldn’t it be great if someone could write a cookbook that takes everyday supermarket ingredients and provides us with not one, but 10 easy ideas for a meal using them?  Well folks, it’s just happened and the book: Easy 10 by Amy Sheppard was published this week.  Amy understands how we shop. Creatures of habit, we often buy the same basic staples every week and then inevitably cook the same old recipes. She takes 10 of the top supermarket ingredients and offers 10 delicious dinners for each one, with a few ‘cheats’ and twists along the way, and always with budget in mind. The top 10 are: chicken, potatoes, ready rolled pastry, lentils, mince, cheese, tinned fish, pasta, sausages and rice – our beloved favourites, but Amy is here to spice up our repertoire and inspire us to create really tasty dishes in a matter of minutes.  The chapter structure of the book means that you can find just the recipe you need instantly, and each recipe comes with tips and swaps – ways to make the meal veggie or gluten-free and options for air-frying. Easy 10 delivers simple, delicious dinner ideas for busy people who want to cook from scratch, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.  Easy 10 by Amy Sheppard (Quadrille, £22), Photography © Dan Jones

To whet your appetite, try one or two of these:

15-Minute Gnocchi Fish Pie feeds 5

“I love fish pie and so do my family, but it’s such a faff to make and creates so much washing up! This is a really easy, cheap version that is on the table in under 15 minutes and uses canned tuna, shop-bought gnocchi and just one pan!”

oil, for frying

500g (1lb 2oz) gnocchi

1 onion, finely chopped

200g (7oz) garlic and herb soft cheese

2 x 145g (5oz) cans tuna, drained

100g (31⁄2oz) cheddar, grated

250ml (9fl oz) milk 80g (23⁄4oz) frozen sweetcorn

80g (23⁄4oz) frozen peas

1 tsp dried oregano

50g (13⁄4oz) fresh spinach leaves

garlic bread and salad, to serve

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tips & Swaps

You can cook the gnocchi in the air fryer for 6 minutes at 190oC/375oF, if you prefer, before adding it to the sauce.

If you want a crispy topping, sprinkle the finished dish with the garlic crumb from page 58. You can cook it in the same pan after you’ve fried the gnocchi.

Use reduced-fat soft cheese in this for a less rich option.

1. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan (skillet). When it’s spitting hot, add the gnocchi (work in two batches if need be) and fry for 3–5 minutes over a medium–high heat until golden brown and crisp. Set the gnocchi aside.
2. Heat a little more oil in the pan. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until soft. Take the pan off the heat and add the soft cheese, tuna, grated cheddar, milk, frozen sweetcorn, frozen peas and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and return to a medium heat.
3. Stir until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is starting to gently bubble.
4. Once the cheese has melted, stir in the spinach and the fried gnocchi. Simmer for a minute or two until the frozen veg is soft and the gnocchi is heated through.
5. Serve immediately with a side of garlic bread and salad.

20-Minute Beef Chow Mein feeds 4

“This is a great Friday night dinner when you fancy a takeaway, but you’re on a budget. The brilliant thing about chow mein is that it’s easy to make taste just like the real thing! Serve this with spring rolls and prawn crackers if you want to go all out!”

oil, for frying

600g (1lb 5oz) bag of mixed stir-fry vegetables

1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

4 Tbsp light soy sauce

1 Tbsp tomato ketchup

70ml (21⁄4fl oz) oyster sauce

500g (1lb 2oz) beef mince (ground beef)

300g (101⁄2oz) straight to wok noodles

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tips & Swaps

You can make this the classic way, by using thinly sliced chicken breast instead of beef.

Use dried noodles if you prefer. Simmer 3 nests of noodles for 5 minutes in boiling water until tender. Drain and add to the pan.

Swap the noodles for 2 pouches of microwave basmati rice. Heat following the packet instructions before adding to the pan with the sauce.

1. Heat a good glug of oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan (skillet). Add the stir-fry vegetables and fry for 5 minutes over a high heat, turning regularly, until soft.
2. Meanwhile, put the cornflour in a small bowl. Add the soy sauce and whisk with a fork until there are no lumps. Stir in the ketchup and oyster sauce and set aside.
3. Remove the veg from the pan and set aside.
4. Add a little more oil to the pan, if needed. When hot, add the beef mince and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes, turning regularly, until browned.
5. Drain off any excess fat and return the veg to the wok. Gently pull apart the noodles so each one is separated, before adding them to the wok along with the sauce. Stir fry for 3–5 minutes over a medium heat, stirring regularly until the beef and noodles are cooked through, and everything is coated in sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

The Seasoned Gastronome