Use 3 teaspoons dried basil leaves instead of fresh. Note

Look for pizza bases topped with tomato sauce. Note

Make ahead: Prepare a double quantity uncooked patties for another dinner. DIY idea: Try Turkish pide rolls instead. Note

Budget tip: Combine 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and a pinch of dried oregano for homemade Greek dressing. DIY idea: Try pork leg steaks instead of lamb. Use any bread, such as sourdough, multigrain or pita bread. Save time: Use bought croutons You’ll need about three-quarters of a parsley bunch. Note

To heat Lebanese bread, microwave on high (100%) for 20 seconds or until just warm. Tabouli: You’ll need one large bunch parsley. Before chopping, wash parsley to remove grit; dry well. Note

Look for mexican chilli powder in the spice aisle of your supermarket. You can also use taco seasoning. Note

Chorizo is paprika flavoured pork sausage. Note

Instead of cherry tomatoes, use 2 medium ripe tomatoes chopped. You can substitute large shell or spiral pasta. Note

Sauce must be fairly thick or turnovers will become soggy on standing. Replace fish with chopped chicken breast fillet, if liked. Note

Medley mix has an assortment of baby tomatoes. Note

Growing up in Italy, Luca Villari’s home was always filled with the delicious aroma of his mother’s cooking. Here he presents one of her classic dishes.

The combination of salty ham, oozy cheese, hearty eggplant and crumbed chicken is absolutely delicious. Enjoy it hot out of the oven with a fresh rocket salad for a tasty family dinner.

These sandwiches use delicious homemade guacamole instead of butter to spread the bread, so they're perfect for anyone with a dairy allergy!

Crack eggs one by one into a glass before adding to tomato mixture. Note

If necessary, thinly siice base of each cooked potato to sit flat. Soy cheese is sold in health food shops and some supermarkets. Make sure it’s dairy free. Note

Buy good quality basil pesto instead of making your own. Use roast capsicum or pumpkin instead of tomatoes. For a unique flavour, use spinach or rocket instead of basil leaves in the pesto. You can use chicken schnitzel instead of veal. Use separate hands to dip schnitzel into the egg and the crumb coating. If […]

Buy large blocks of cheese; grate then freeze in resealable storage bags. Note

Enjoy eggs baked with vegies as a treat – rather than a fried, hot breakfast – to cut down fat and kilojoules. Note

Sun-dried tomato and capsicum tapenade

Budget tip: Use large leaves; reserve centre of cabbage for stir-fries or salads. You will need 1 large cabbage for this recipe. Rice will be slightly crunchy but will then soften when rolls are baked. Note

MAKES 24 Sgagliozze are Sold in Italy by street vendors. Note

With a golden cheese topping, crispy filo pastry and tender eggplant mingling with cinnamon spiced lamb, this delicious and hearty moussaka is a joy to behold when baked to perfection.

Risoni is rice shaped pasta. Note

You can use chicken tenderloins or fillets – pound with a meat mallet before crumbirrg. Note

Made in advance, this is the perfect dipping sauce for tapas.

Julie Biuso creates a midweek masterpiece for your dinner table

Packed full of goodness and delicious flavours, this sausage and cheese omelette is a hearty breakfast that is sure to set your day off to a good start.

To avoid overcooked, rubbery eggs, remove from heat while still creamy. Note

Make ahead: Make risoni filling the day before; prepare and fill pumpkin just before serving. Risoni is rice-shaped pasta. Use any small pasta shape; cooking time may vary. Note

We've added an extra layer of deliciousness to the humble Italian lasagne with this hearty pie. Finished with a cheesy topping, it's packed full of flavour to create the ultimate family comfort food.

Use dill instead of parsley. Note

You can use regular tomatoes, chopped, instead of baby rama and teardrop tomatoes. Cool pasta slightly before adding pesto, as heat can discolour the pesto. Note

Use regular tomatoes to save money. Serve salad with vegetarian sausages or burgers. Bocconcini is a fresh Italian cheese available from the deli and refrigeration aisle. Note

Add your favourite antipasto vegetables. Note

Serve with barbecued lamb, chicken or as a topping for frittata. Try a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes. Note

Risoni is rice-shaped pasta; for a slightly cheaper option, use macaroni. For best results, make just before serving. Note

To prepare couscous, soak 1 cup couscous in 1 cup boiling water or stock for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, fluff grains with a fork to separate. Note

Budget tip: To turn into a main course, serve as a side with fish, meat or chicken. Make dip in a 4-cup serving bowl. Note

Budget tip: Omit chicken and add extra sausages. Use chicken sausages if you like. Note

Increase your vegetable intake with this simple, hearty soup.

Press the pastry well into sides of pan, and then press the join in the pastry, to seal it. Note

This deliciously hearty chilli con carne recipe has to be one of the best dishes to serve for a casual get together. Serve over rice with cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Ratatouille is a staple of vegetarian cooking and now, in a a tart, it's even better.

Love bruschetta but find it a bit too messy to eat for lunch? This salad is perfect for you with doughy bread pieces, balsamic vinegar and a medley of juicy tomatoes.

Tomato and wine seem to compliment mussels so well, and this dish is no different. Add some linguini to the mix and you have a deliciously hearty seafood and pasta dish.

This delicious bolognese pasta bake is a fun take on the classic Italian lasagne. Serve your family up a big slice of this tasty dish for a warming Winter dinner.

These quick and tasty bolognese melts are full of flavour. Topped with oozy melted cheese, they are great as a quick lunch or after school treat for the kids.

Buy chicken rissoles from butchers and poultry shops. Note

Flavourful oven baked stuffed tomatoes with basmati rice and lamb mince make the perfect zesty addition to any fish or grilled meat dish, or eaten on their own for a delicious lunch.

When egg begins to set, use a wooden spoon to move it gently towards centre of pan. Note

Using sweet and smoked paprika gives extra flavour to feta, but use just sweet if you like. Note

Use 2 medium regular tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. For a meaty version, add shredded barbecue chicken. Note

Add lentils, pasta or rice to soup. You can freeze leftover soup. Note

Replace parmesan with finely grated tasty cheese. Omit basil. You can use tomato pasta sauce instead of passata; consistency will vary slightly. Note

Char-grilled vegies are sometimes cheaper at the deli counter. Note

Replace sausages with bought meatballs; you’ll find them in the meat and mince section of major supermarkets. Depending on desired consistency, you may need to add a little more water to thin soup in Step 2. Note

Replace pizza cheese with grated cheddar, if desired. Pizza cheese contains grated cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan. Add a little butter and milk to scooped-out cooked potato; mash. Cover and refrigerate. Use the next day. Make salsa just before serving to prevent avocado discolouring. Note

You can use chopped regular tomatoes instead of cherry and teardrop, if you prefer. If you want to make your own gnocchi, use floury potatoes, or even try kumara, ricotta or polenta. Steam, don’t boil, vegies to prevent waterlogging. Note

Serve with poached or fried eggs. You can make baked beans up to 3 days ahead. Cover, then refrigerate. Note

Buy a frozen round savoury pastry shell. Fill with quiche mixture, then bake as packet directs. To prevent pastry shrinking too much when baking blind, freeze pastry-lined tart pan until firm, then bake frozen. Note

You can use fresh mussels. Before cooking, wash and remove beard. For an extra kick, add chopped fresh red chilli with the onion and garlic. Thai-style mussels: Add finely chopped lemongrass and red chilli with the onion and garlic; swap coriander for parsley. Note

Use frozen potato wedges; cook as packet directs. Cooking time and price will vary. Note

They don't call it a classic for nothing. This Italian spaghetti dish is so effortless and simple yet so delicious you'll soon see why it's such a staple.

Luca Villari presents an exciting seafood dish that will definitely float your boat

Nana does enjoy an Eye-talian every now and then. Grandad is a bit leery of foreign food, but as my sauce is made from his home-grown tomatoes he can hardly call it foreign, now can he? A big batch of sauce is the perfect solution to a summer surplus and freezing the sauce in plastic bags ensures it’s safe from pesky botulism. Tomato relishes and ketchups contain vinegar, boosting the acidity, so they are fine to bottle, but tomato sauce is a different kettle of fish. I can’t guarantee the mixture will be acidic enough to store safely in bottles so freezing is the answer. Zip-lock bags, filled and frozen flat so they stack neatly in the freezer, are perfect. I find some single-serve portions useful as well as bigger, family-sized batches.

Mexican food is hot, hot, hot! Surrender to its exotic flavours – sweet, sharp, smoky, hot, fragrant and fruity, sometimes all together on the one plate

Tasty and filling crispy chicken schnitzel burgers with bacon and iceberg lettuce drizzled with sweet chilli mayonnaise and served with golden kumara chips - ready in just minutes.

These pies are a delicious mix of beef and vegetables, cooked in individual ramekins and topped with creamy, pea-filled potatoes.

Use regular tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. You can use baby spinach leaves instead of rocket. Note

Fresh and delicious!

We used a frozen vegetable mix of corn, beans, potato and carrots. Note

Use green capsicum or zucchini instead of fennel. Choose any flavour of sausage. Note

Accompany this beautifully flavoured Spanish sausage hotpot with bread and enjoy this delicious dish for a comforting and easy weeknight family meal during the cold winter months

If time allows, stand salad for 10 minutes before serving. Swap tuna for salmon or shredded cooked chicken. Note

Use canned pink salmon instead of tuna. Use 8 small pita pockets instead of Lebanese bread. Use bought tomato pasta sauce with basil and garlic instead of passata and garlic. Price will vary. Note

Use any small pasta shape. Note

We used thin pork steaks (sold as ‘uncrumbed pork schnitzels’), available in packets at most supermarkets or your butcher. Make sure your frying pan has a flameproof handle; if it doesn’t, wrap handle in several layers of foil to protect it from the heat. Note

Crepes are in the bakery and frozen food aisles of supermarkets. Note