ROMANO PEPPER AND HERB PENNE (SERVES 4)
275g penne pasta
6-7 slices Parma ham, snipped into small pieces
1tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
150g roasted red peppers in oil (from a jar), drained and chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
200g full-fat creme fraiche
1 x 30g packet of flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
1 x 30g packet of basil, leaves roughly chopped
30g Parmesan, finely grated
Salt and pepper
1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, place a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the Parma ham for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the oil to the pan, along with the spring onions, peppers and garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, for two minutes.
4. Add the creme fraiche and bring to the boil, then add the drained pasta with half the crispy ham, most of the herbs and some salt and pepper. Toss over the heat for a few minutes.
5. Add the cheese and a splash of the reserved cooking water if the sauce seems too thick, and sprinkle over the remaining crispy ham and herbs to serve.
KING PRAWN AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE (SERVES 4)
2tbsp sunflower oil
2 large shallots, very thinly sliced
2cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
350g peeled raw king prawns, deveined
250g broccoli, broken into tiny florets
150g oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
6tbsp black bean sauce
2tbsp dark soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
1. Heat a large frying pan or wok until very hot. Add the oil, shallots, ginger and chilli and stir-fry over a high heat for 30 seconds. Push the vegetables to one side of the pan, then season the prawns with salt and pepper and add them to the centre of the pan. Fry for about two minutes until starting to turn pink.
2. Tip in the broccoli and mushrooms, toss together using two spatulas and fry for two to three minutes.
3. Mix the black bean sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice together in a bowl. Add to the pan and toss everything together well. Stir-fry for another two minutes until the prawns are cooked and the broccoli is just tender but still crunchy.
4. Serve piping hot on its own or with rice or noodles.
APPLE AND LEMON SANDWICH CAKE (SERVES 6-8)
For the sponge:
225g baking spread, straight from the fridge, plus extra for greasing
225g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
4 large eggs, beaten
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and grated
Icing sugar, for dusting
For the lemon filling:
150ml double cream
3 tbsp lemon curd
1. You will need two 20cm round, loose-bottomed sandwich tins. Preheat the oven to 180 c/160 c Fan/Gas 4, then grease each tin and line the base with a disc of baking paper.
2. Measure all the sponge ingredients except the apple and icing sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until combined. Fold the grated apple into the mixture, then divide between the tins and level the tops.
3. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until golden, well risen and coming away from the sides of the tins. Allow to cool in the tins.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Whip the cream into soft peaks, then lightly swirl in the lemon curd.
5. Invert the tins to remove the cakes and then peel away the paper. Sit one cake upside down on a serving plate. Spread the lemon cream to the edge of the sponge, place the other cake gently on top to sandwich the cakes together.
6. Dust the top with icing sugar to serve.
From Mary Berry's Quick Cooking by Mary Berry, photography by Georgia Glynn Smith, published by BBC Books, £22.
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