Cacio e pepe means 'cheese and pepper' in Italian. And this classic dish is just that. The silky pepper and Parmesan sauce is made with a little of the pasta cooking water, which makes the pepper and cheese stick to the spaghetti. Ready in 15 minutes, it couldn't be a simpler or tastier dish.
A perfect barbecue side or served with a piece of grilled fish, warm potatoes are simply tossed in red wine vinegar and olive oil. Because you toss them when warm, the potatoes absorb the dressing. This is a handy tip whenever you make potato salad, even when using mayonnaise.
Brighten up a fillet of salmon with a sticky soy glaze. For four salmon fillets, mix together 4tbsp soy sauce and 2tbsp runny honey. Season well and add a pinch of chilli flakes. Brush the flesh of the salmon with the glaze, then grill for around five minutes until cooked through and sizzling.
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Bulgar wheat is often overlooked as a salad ingredient, but it's really handy to have in the cupboard and cooks in just 12 minutes. It's quite bland, so you do need to season it generously. Here it's served warm, mixed with spring onions and red pepper. It's a perfect lunch for one, though you could serve it as a side for with some fried halloumi or grilled chicken.
The way halloumi cheese is transformed from a dull, rubbery cold cheese into something spectacular when cooked – in this case deep-fried – is nothing short of miraculous. These make the best snack or starter, with just a hint of spice in the flour coating. Serve with a spicy tomato dip.
Most barbecue sauces you buy are a little sweet, but you can still make some fab wings with very little. Add the juice and zest of two limes to a shop-bought barbecue sauce, then toss in the wings, leaving a little sauce aside as a dip. Spread across oiled sheets of foil on a baking sheet and bake in a hot oven until crisp and cooked through, or cook them on the barbecue.
You really can make this with just three ingredients. Our recipe will explain how to cook the perfect steak and you can buy good-quality garlic butter to serve it with. For oven fries, cut potatoes with the skin on into wedges or large chips. Toss in olive oil with salt and a little paprika, then bake in a hot oven (200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6) for around 40 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
You'll have to leave out the garlic and parsley to stick to the three-ingredient rule, but it's still a fantastic dish. Fresh clams are cooked with chilli and white wine, then tossed with the pasta along with a little of the cooking water. It's even better if you add a knob of butter to it, once it's all stirred together.
Making your own tomato sauce for pasta is so simple, it's not worth buying. Sweat down a large, finely chopped onion in olive oil until soft. Add two cloves of crushed garlic, cook for a few minutes, then add a can of plum tomatoes with their juice. Bash down the tomatoes with a spoon, season well, then add a pinch of chilli flakes and a pinch of sugar. Allow to cook on a low heat until thickened.
There's no harm in buying a jar of teriyaki sauce to make a great chicken dinner. Look for a good-quality brand, then follow our simple recipe to stir-fry it correctly. Coating the chicken in cornflour gives it a wonderful crunch and better texture.
Because lamb is quite a rich meat, it has a natural affinity with salty feta. This idea takes a simple grilled cutlet to the next level. Grill the cutlets under a high heat for five minutes or so, so they are crisp but pink in the centre. Crumble over some feta, grind over black pepper (no need for salt as the feta is salty enough), then serve with wedges of fresh lemon.
Cherry tomatoes are roasted in lots of olive oil, garlic and dried chillies to make this great Tuscan pasta dish. Stick to the three-ingredient limit by omitting the basil or Parmesan – we guarantee it's just as delicious without.
Get the recipe for roasted tomato pasta with chilli and garlic here
Rustle up a filling, warming soup in no time. Take two cans of drained black beans and put into a saucepan; add 250ml (8.5fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock and a can of chopped tomatoes with onions. Season well, add a good pinch of dried chilli flakes and dried oregano. Bring to the boil, simmer for five minutes, then blend with a stick blender until you have a chunky purée.
Easy comfort food in around 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. In a shallow ovenproof dish, mix a pack of shop-bought gnocchi with a tomato pasta sauce of your choice. Top with slices of mozzarella and bake until bubbling and the cheese has melted. Add a pinch of chilli flakes or Italian seasoning to the sauce, if you like.
Love a one-pan dish? Try our recipe for gnocchi, aubergine and tomato bake here
You will have to use dried dill instead of fresh, and ditch the Parmesan to stick to the three-ingredient rule, but you'll still have a lovely, creamy frittata with the irresistible smokiness of the salmon. Smoked salmon trimmings are good value too, so you have a bit of luxury for less.
The simplest pasta dish to rustle up, with linguine or spaghetti, a jar of pesto and some freshly grated Parmesan. The trick, however, is to add a small ladleful of the pasta cooking water with the tossed pasta. The starch from the water makes the pesto stick better to the pasta.
Who can resist the combination of hot, melted cheese with a hint of chilli in a butter-fried sourdough toastie? Use a strong, mature Cheddar and omit the Parmesan. Instead of fresh chilli, you could use pickled jalapeños from a jar. It's all done and dusted in 15 minutes.
For a super-tasty and refreshing pasta dish, add fresh white crab meat to cooked pasta, adding a little of the pasta water to help coat the pasta and make a sauce. Toss in some butter, dried chilli flakes and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Mac 'n' cheese with three ingredients? Right here! Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Cook 500g (17.5oz) macaroni in 1.25l (42fl oz) whole milk until al dente. Drain the pasta into an ovenproof dish, reserving the milk. Stir 250g (8.8oz) mature Cheddar cheese into the milk, pour over the pasta and mix well, with plenty of seasoning. Bake until golden and bubbling.
With just a few store cupboard spices, juicy fresh prawns, butter and lime, this easy recipe is ready in 20 minutes. To stick to the rules, use garlic powder instead of fresh, and you'll have a spicy, peppery sauce to serve with rice or flatbreads.
All you need for this quick supper dish is a pack of shop-bought gnocchi, butter, fresh sage leaves and grated Parmesan. Cook the gnocchi until tender then drain, keeping back a few tablespoons of the cooking water. Melt a generous knob of butter, fry the sage leaves quickly, then toss everything together with the gnocchi and the reserved cooking water. Season well and stir in the Parmesan.
If you've got more time and fancy making gnocchi from scratch, check out our recipe
This is a great recipe to use up any brown bananas in your fruit bowl. All you do is freeze the bananas until solid, then peel, whizz them up with chocolate almond milk and cocoa powder. Do remember to freeze the bananas in their skins to make life easier.
A classic English shortbread needs just three ingredients – butter, flour and caster sugar. You can always add a touch of vanilla extract, or the zest of a lemon or orange. They are ready in just 20 minutes and you can make them in your food processor. Best eaten warm from the oven with a cup of tea.
If you ditch the vanilla, this easy ice cream – with no churning required – is made with just three ingredients: condensed milk, evaporated milk and double cream. You need to chill the evaporated milk overnight so that it can be whipped, but then takes just 20 minutes of preparation. It'll need to freeze for at least six hours.
You'll come back to these again and again, and they are so simple, you could get the kids to make them. Mix together 200g (7oz) crunchy peanut butter with 200g (7oz) sugar, one egg and a pinch of sea salt. Break off little pieces, make them into a ball, then put on a baking tray and flatten with a fork. Bake at 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 5 for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. They will keep in an airtight tin for two days.
You can't beat a fine, lacy crêpe for an instant dessert or brunch. Simply flour, milk and egg, with a little sunflower oil for frying, you may have forgotten how tasty they are. The first one always fails, so don't worry! Serve the classic way with a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of lemon.
A recipe which is simplicity itself, made with just chocolate, sugar and eggs, plus a little pinch of sea salt. You don't taste the salt but it brings out the flavour of the chocolate. This mousse needs three hours to set in the fridge, but it tastes even better the day after making.
Buttery, sweet, chewy and sticky, flapjacks are so simple to make and homemade beats anything shop-bought. With porridge oats, brown sugar, syrup and butter, all made in one pan on the hob, they are incredibly easy. They will keep in an airtight container for around three days, too.
Using ready-rolled shop-bought shortcrust pastry makes easy work of this lovely dessert, to serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Shape the pastry into a rough circle and put onto a oiled baking sheet. Core and slice (no need to peel them) 4-5 eating apples, place on the pastry, leaving a 3cm (1 inch) edge. Fold over the pastry, scatter with cinnamon and sugar, then bake for 30 minutes.