Suzanne Mulholland - The Batch Lady

½ cup (50g) grated Emmental cheese

8 asparagus spears, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces

1 cup (155g) frozen peas

1 egg, beaten, to cook

If you are also making the Chicken Lattices, it is best to make the Chicken, Asparagus & Parcels first to avoid any cross contamination from the raw chicken.

01Unroll the pastry sheets and cut each in half, leaving you with four roughly square pieces. If the pieces aren’t quite square, trim the longer sides to even them up. Set aside.

02Put the soup, Emmental cheese, asparagus and peas in a bowl and stir to combine. Now scoop a quarter of the mixture (about ½ cup) into the centre of each of the squares of pastry.

03Bring up opposite corners of the squares of pastry and press them together to seal in the centre. Now work your way down the seams to seal the pastry and completely enclose the filling.

TO COOK:Transfer the parcels to a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash. Cook in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 20–25 minutes, until crisp and golden. Serve with vegetables of your choice alongside.

TO FREEZE:Carefully wrap each of the parcels in clingfilm, then transfer to a labelled plastic bag and freeze flat for up to 3 months.

TO COOK FROM FROZEN:These can be cooked from frozen. Place on a lined baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Cook in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 30–35 minutes, until golden. Serve with vegetables alongside.

P

This is one of those recipes that looks much harder than it actually is, all thanks to a bit of pastry wizardry! These are great to have stocked in the freezer, so I usually double the quantity and make eight lattices at once – it only takes a moment to make the extra ones as all the ingredients are already laid out.

PREP:20 MINUTES

COOK:35 MINUTES

SERVES 4

1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

4 × 1cm- (½in-) thick slices cheddar cheese

4 slices ham

1 egg, beaten, to cook

01Unroll the pastry sheet and cut into quarters, leaving you with four roughly square pieces. If the pieces aren’t quite square, trim the longer sides to even up the pieces.

02Using a lattice cutter, roll over the pieces of pastry, or alternatively use a sharp knife to cut 2cm (1in) slits in staggered rows 1cm (½in) apart. Gently pull the pastry apart so that the lattice shape opens up.

03Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and evenly space the chicken breasts on it. Place a slice of ham on each piece of chicken, then top each with a slice of cheddar cheese. Finally, top each stack with a piece of the latticed pastry, opening it up so that the top and sides of each chicken breast are enclosed.

Zhuzh it up!

Substitute the ham for slices of prosciutto and change the cheese to slices of mozzarella for a more luxurious result.

TO SERVE:Brush the top of each pastry lattice with beaten egg, then transfer to an oven preheated to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 30–35 minutes, until golden, juicy and tender. Serve hot with vegetables of your choice alongside.

TO FREEZE:Transfer the uncooked lattices to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to 3 months.

TO COOK FROM FROZEN:Remove the chicken lattices from the freezer and allow to defrost completely, then brush with beaten egg and cook as described, left.

P

Pull this bag out of the freezer in the morning and you can have a hearty evening meal on the table in the evening in the time it takes to cook a pan of pasta. Make this alongside the ’ Nduja pasta bagand you’ll have two tasty, sustaining meals ready to go in next to no time.

PREP:10 MINUTES

COOK:15 MINUTES

SERVES 4

splash of olive oil

1 cup (115g) chopped, frozen onions

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 5mm (¼in) slices

¼ cup (115g) bacon lardons

¼ cup (120g) frozen, diced chorizo

½ cup (120ml) Red Pesto (see here) or 100g store-bought, sundried tomato pesto

70g sundried tomatoes in oil, drained

3¾ cups (300g) penne pasta, to serve

01Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onions and chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Clear away the chopping boards and knives from prepping the raw chicken and clean the kitchen worktops, then make this and the ’Nduja Pasta Bagalongside each other on the hob. The stages are very similar, so it is very easy to make both dishes at the same time.

02Once the chicken has browned, add the bacon lardons and chorizo and stir through, then cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir through the pesto and sundried tomatoes, then remove the pan from the heat.

TO COOK:If you are making this to serve now, simply cook the pasta in boiling water according to packet instructions, until tender. Stir the pasta through the chicken and pesto mixture, then divide between serving bowls and serve warm.

TO FREEZE:Set the chicken and pesto mixture aside until cooled to room temperature, then transfer to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to 3 months.

TO COOK FROM FROZEN:Remove the bag from the freezer and leave to completely defrost in the fridge. Once defrosted, transfer to a pan and cook until piping hot. Cook the pasta in a separate pan, then combine as described in the To Cook section, left.

M

’Nduja is a spicy paste made with pork and chilli from Calabria in Italy. You will find it beside the jars of pesto in the supermarket.

PREP:10 MINUTES

COOK:15 MINUTES

SERVES 4

splash of olive oil

2 cups (230g) frozen, chopped onions

1 tsp frozen, chopped garlic

4–5 tbsp ’nduja spread

1½ cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 smoked sausage, sliced

4 cups (400g) rigatoni pasta, to serve

4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

01Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3–4 minutes.

02Add the ‘nduja to the pan and stir until the onions are coated, then add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

TO COOK:If you are making this to serve now, stir in the smoked sausage and keep warm while you cook the pasta. Stir the cooked pasta through the ‘nduja and sausage mixture, then divide between serving bowls, scatter with Parmesan and serve warm.

TO FREEZE:Set the mixture aside until cooled to room temperature, then stir through the smoked sausage and transfer to a labelled freezer bag. Freeze flat for up to 3 months.