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Cooking Clever - Fab Food For Tough Times No. 45

No-time nosh

The Holy Grail for busy people is the quick mid-week dinner that can be knocked up in less than half an hour when you come in from work. Here are three that fit the bill, writes Katy McGuinness

Pork Satay Noodles

Frittata Nicoise

Ravioli with Rocket and Balsamic Dressing

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Each recipe: serves 2-4, costs less than €3.50 per portion, takes less than 30 minutes to prepare

Pork Satay Noodles Cost: €9 from Delicious: 5 Nights a Week

250g dried egg noodles
1 tsp sesame oil
20ml peanut oil
500g pork mince
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 heaped tbsp satay paste
40ml fish sauce
40ml kecap manis (available in Asian shops and some supermarkets)
4 tbsp crushed unsalted peanuts
200ml coconut milk
2 kaffir lime leaves, thinly shredded
2 heaped tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Lime wedges, to serve

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water according to the packet directions. Drain and toss with the sesame oil. Heat the peanut oil in a wok over a high heat. When hot, add the pork and onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through. Add the chilli and satay paste and stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the fish sauce, kecap manis, peanuts, coconut milk and lime leaves. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then toss through the noodles and coriander. Serve in bowls with lime wedges.

Frittata Nicoise Cost: €7.50 from River Cottage Every Day)

Serves 4

2 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
6 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
8 medium eggs
150g cold cooked new potatoes, thickly sliced
50g cold cooked french beans, cut into 2cm lengths
100g tinned tuna, drained and roughly flaked
20 stoned black kalamata olives in oil, drained
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a 25cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spring onions and garlic and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until soft but not coloured, then remove from the heat. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then stir in the potatoes, beans, tuna and olives. Add the spring onions, season and mix well. Return the frying pan to a low heat and tip in the egg mixture, making sure the olives are evenly distributed. Cook gently, without stirring, just letting the eggs set slowly from the base up. After about five minutes, give the pan a little shake: the bottom half of the frittata should be set, with a layer of wet egg still on top. Either place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C/gas 4 for 5-10 minutes until just set or put the pan under a medium-hot grill, ideally not too close to the heat, for about five minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving. Great with a simple green salad.

Ravioli with Rocket and Balsamic Dressing Cost: €7 from Delicious: 5 Nights a Week

Serves 2

75g semi-dried tomatoes
80g baby rocket
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 heaped tbsp salted capers, rinsed, drained
2 heaped tbsp basil leaves
50g pitted kalamata olives
400g goat's cheese ravioli
60ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to toss the pasta
30ml balsamic vinegar
Shaved parmesan, to serve

Place the tomatoes, rocket, sliced onion, capers, basil and olives in a bowl. Set aside. Cook the ravioli in salted boiling water according to packet instructions. Strain and toss in the extra olive oil to keep the pasta separate. Place the olive oil and vinegar in a screw-top jar, season with salt and pepper and shake well to combine. Add the dressing to the salad mixture with the hot pasta and carefully toss together. Using tongs, pile onto serving plates. Serve topped with parmesan shavings.

Next week: A modern Mexican dinner for six