Furiously fast meal ideas

Ready-baked pastry cases

The best invention ever if you want to cheat but still feel like you've made something from scratch. There's loads of ways to use them and they're great for sweet and savoury dishes. For a quick, filling supper, make a cheese sauce, throw in some blanched cauliflower and broccoli and some chopped crispy bacon. Spoon into the case, sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden. For a cheat's Bakewell tart spread the base of a pastry case with 4tbsp of jam before spooning over a two egg Victoria sandwich mix. Scatter with flaked almonds and bake at 180C for, 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.