GREGG Wallace and Chris Bavin return next week with a fourth instalment of Eat Well For Less?, the BBC One series in which the duo – both foodies and long-time greengrocers – meet with families struggling to manage their food bills.
The plan is simple: To improve people's nutritional knowledge and discover how shopping habits affect what we eat and how much it costs.
"The biggest thing I've learnt is what a huge cookery skill shortage there is across the UK, and how many people rely on convenience foods. I find it troubling," says Wallace (52).
The series' accompanying book, Eat Well For Less – Family Feasts On A Budget, written by Jo Scarratt-Jones, sets out to combat that reliance. Packed with practical meal planning ideas and tips, it features cut-out-and-keep shopping lists and menu plans, as well as details on how long to store stuff in the fridge and freezer for before it goes mushy or mouldy. Then there are the recipes, all designed to be wallet-friendly staples.
For MasterChef judge Wallace growing up, his favourite family meal was "always Sunday roast at my grandmother's", while Bavin's top childhood meals have continued into adulthood. "When I was growing up, we had several meals on rotation and my favourite meals were sausage and mash and spaghetti Bolognese – still both firm favourites," he says.
Off screen, Wallace says the impact of making the programme and learning the art of brand swapping has led to a game of sorts between him and his Italian wife, Anne. "My wife, who does the shopping now, buys different brands to see if I notice."
For Bavin (36), who also presents Tomorrow's Food with Dara O Briain, it's helped restructure his week as well as his cupboards. "We, like so many families, favoured some big brands and now we buy hardly any. We also try to sit down as a family every Sunday and plan our meals for the following week."
Their main aim though is to extinguish the belief, understandably held by lots of people who have too little time and too many mouths to feed, that cooking is just another chore – "like ironing or hoovering," notes Wallace, "and not in any way fun or something that could bring the whole family together.
"I want [people], more than anything, to realise that good, nutritious and tasty food doesn't have to take time or cost a lot of money."
Bavin adds: "I would love families to try and spend more time cooking and eating together. With a bit of planning, you can save hundreds if not thousands of pounds."
Try one of the thrifty – but tasty – recipes from the book below.
:: BROCCOLI AND PARMESAN PASTA
(Serves 3)
For the pasta:
300g plain wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting
3 eggs
1tbsp olive oil
1/2tsp sea salt
For the sauce:
180g broccoli, cut into florets and the stem into thick slices
4 tinned anchovies, drained and roughly chopped
3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
20g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
First make the pasta. Put the flour into a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, olive oil and salt to the well and whisk together, then gradually stir in the flour, pulling a little flour in each time you stir the mixture to make a smooth, firm dough.
Flatten the dough into a disc about 1cm thick, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Unwrap the chilled dough and lay it on a lightly floured work surface, then cut it in half. Roll out each portion of dough to a rectangle about 5mm thick, turning it as you go to ensure you have an even thickness, then roll each portion again to about 2mm thick – the thinner the better. When the pasta is as thin as you can get it, cut it into strips about 3mm wide for tagliatelle, or thinner for linguine.
Hang the pasta strips over a clean broom handle or rolling pin to allow them to dry slightly while you cook the broccoli for the sauce. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the broccoli and cook for four to five minutes until just tender. Drain well, set aside and keep warm.
Bring a separate large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, return to the boil and cook for three to four minutes until the pasta rises to the surface. Drain in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, then return the pasta to the pan.
Add the broccoli, anchovies and olive oil to the pasta and toss well to combine. Add about two tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and cook for one minute, stirring as you go. The pasta should be evenly coated in the sauce.
Season to taste, then pile the pasta into serving bowls, sprinkle over the Parmesan and serve immediately.
:: QUICK FISH PIE
(Serves 3)
For the potato topping:
600g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
40ml semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
40g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
For the fish pie mixture:
25g butter
25g plain flour
400ml semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
400g pack fresh or frozen fish pie mix (if frozen, defrost in fridge overnight)
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 leeks, washed and diced
To serve:
200g frozen peas
200g frozen sweetcorn
Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas mark 6. Prepare the potato topping. Put the potatoes into a saucepan and add enough cold water to just cover them. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes well, then return to the pan, add the milk and mash together until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
While the potatoes cook, make the sauce for the fish pie mixture. Put the butter and flour into a small pan and mix together, then cook over a low heat for three to four minutes, stirring, until light golden brown and starting to look slightly grainy. Remove from the heat, gradually stir in the milk, then return to the heat and continue to cook and stir until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken. Simmer gently for a minute or so, stirring, then season to taste.
Put the fish pie mix into an ovenproof dish and mix in the white sauce, followed by the carrots and leeks. Top this with the mashed potato, covering the fish mixture completely. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbling.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the peas and sweetcorn and simmer for three to four minutes. Drain well. Serve the fish pie with the mixed peas and sweetcorn alongside.
:: Eat Well For Less? begins on BBC One on Wednesday, June 7
