Transform the humble baguette, tortilla or tin of tomatoes into something special with a few ingredients

Pizza baguettes

Prep 5 min

Cook 5 min

Serves 2-4

1 baguette (400g)

5-6 tbsp tomato puree concentrate (the stuff in a squeezy tube)

1 bell pepper, core and stem removed

125g ball fresh mozzarella, drained

Mixed dried herbs, if you have them

Salt and black pepper

4 handfuls rocket leaves

This recipe can be adapted to most bread: bake-at-home demi-baguettes, English muffins, flour tortillas, naan, pitta breads. Feel free to choose what you have or like.

Heat the oven grill to the highest setting and put the rack in the top third of the oven. Cut the baguette in half down its length. Spread the tomato puree over the cut surface of each half – it’s strong, so you don’t need a thick layer. Thinly slice the pepper, tear the mozzarella into small strips and scatter these over the tomato puree. Sprinkle on some mixed dried herbs, if using, and some salt and pepper.

Put the baguette pieces on to a baking tray and under the grill for three to five minutes, until the cheese melts (keep an eye on them, as they can burn easily). Take out of the oven and top with a couple of generous handfuls of rocket over each half.

Other easy toppings: ham, sauteed mushrooms, fresh spinach, roasted vegetables, olives, sun-dried tomatoes.

Spinach, ricotta and garlic quesadilla

Prep 5 min

Cook 10 min

Serves 1

Vegetable oil or olive oil

100g baby spinach (or 100g frozen spinach, defrosted)

3 tbsp ricotta

2 tbsp cheddar or parmesan, finely grated

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Salt and black pepper

1 large wholemeal tortilla

If using fresh spinach, heat a large frying pan with a glug of oil over a medium heat, add the spinach and leave to wilt, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes, then tip into a medium bowl. If using frozen spinach, squeeze any excess moisture out of the defrosted spinach and put into a medium bowl.

Add the ricotta, cheddar and garlic to the bowl with a few grinds of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir together well.

Put the frying pan back over a medium heat. Put the tortilla in the pan and spread the spinach mixture over half of it, then fold the tortilla over to get a crescent shape. Fry until golden underneath – about a minute – then flip and let the other side get golden, too. Take out of the pan, cut in half and eat.

Cheesy stovetop gnocchi

Prep 5 min

Cook 20 min

Serves 3-4

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 red onion, peeled and chopped into medium-size dice

Salt and black pepper

1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

1 pinch mixed dried herbs

1 pinch sugar

500g gnocchi

90g cheddar or mozzarella

Fresh basil, torn (optional)

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring now and then, for five to seven minutes, until slightly softened. Add the beans, tomatoes, herbs and sugar, stir through, then leave to simmer while you cook the gnocchi.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the gnocchi, cook for two to three minutes – wait for them to float to the surface of the water – then drain.

Taste the tomato sauce and season to taste, then tip the gnocchi into the sauce and stir through.

Sprinkle over the grated cheese, cover the pan with a lid, large plate or wooden chopping board, and turn the heat to low. Leave for a few minutes so the cheese melts, then remove the lid, top with basil, if using, and serve.

Tomato dal with roast carrots

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 hr

Serves 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and chopped into medium-size dice

1 thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated

2 tbsp medium curry powder

300g red lentils, rinsed

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

750ml water

2-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp lemon juice, white-wine vinegar or cider vinegar

4 large carrots

Salt

Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Fry the onion and ginger in one tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over a medium heat for five minutes, until slightly softened.

Stir in the curry powder and cook for one minute. Add the lentils, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, water, soy sauce and lemon juice. Stir together, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Add a splash more water to the pan while it’s cooking if it’s getting too thick.

Meanwhile, turn the oven to its highest setting. Cut the carrots in quarters lengthways, then into 3cm-long batons. Toss with the remaining oil and a pinch of salt on a baking tray and roast for 20-30 minutes, until starting to brown, turning halfway through.

Divide the dal between bowls and top with the carrots and chopped coriander. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days.

Roasted broccoli nachos

Prep 10 min

Cook 30 min

Serves 2-4

2 small heads broccoli, cut into small florets

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt

1 onion, peeled and chopped into medium dice

1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained

6 tbsp tomato salsa (mild, medium or hot), plus extra for serving

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp mixed dried herbs

1 x 200g bag plain salted tortilla chips

150g cheddar cheese, grated

Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Put the broccoli on a large baking tray and drizzle with one tablespoon of the oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat and put into the oven to roast for 20 minutes, until starting to brown.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium frying pan, add the onion and fry over a medium heat for five minutes until slightly softened. Add the beans, salsa, cumin and herbs. Cook over a medium heat, mashing the beans slightly with the back of a spoon, for five minutes until thick.

Once the broccoli has roasted, remove it from the baking tray and set aside on a cutting board or in a bowl.

Lay the tortilla chips over the tray, top with the cooked kidney beans, roasted broccoli, a few more spoonfuls of salsa and the grated cheese. Put back into the oven to warm through and so the cheese melts, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with the fresh coriander and serve.

Beetroot and thyme baked risotto

Prep 10 min

Cook 40 min

Serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped into medium dice

Salt and black pepper

300g risotto rice

900ml hot water

1 vegetable stock cube

250g (about 3 medium) beetroot, coarsely grated

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 tsp dried thyme

1 handful grated parmesan

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish or deep roasting tray over a medium heat on the stove, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five to seven minutes, until slightly softened. Add the rice and stir for two minutes to slightly toast the rice.

Dissolve the stock cube in the hot water in a jug then pour into the casserole dish along with the beetroot, lemon juice, thyme and a few grinds of black pepper and stir. Cover with a lid (or tightly with a piece of foil) and put into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Stir in the parmesan and season with salt, if needed. Serve with more parmesan on top.

• Izy Hossack is a student of food science at Leeds University. Her second cookbook, The Savvy Cook, is out now (Octopus).