I love macaroni cheese, but I like a bit of protein in there too, so this is my dirty mac and cheese. I’d never made it before I filmed it – I even cook the pasta in the same pan as the beef – and I promised to post it even if it was a disaster. It wasn’t. It’s exactly what you want on an autumn evening, and it freezes beautifully.

Sometimes I just can’t be bothered to do a full roast and whenever I do this version, the family are more than happy with a  bowl of rustic comfort The base of the sauce will be made from all the wonderful stuck on bits of chicken from the roasting tray.

Easily scaled up for a crowd. If possible, salt your chicken 24 hours before cooking but at least an hour before is better than not at all.

Season the chicken, top bottom and sides. Cover loosely and put in the fridge for 1 – 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 240C fan. Place a roasting tin on the hob over a high heat, dab excess moisture off the chicken, place breast side up in the roasting tin. It will spit and sizzle. Leave for a minute then using oven gloves, shake the pan to loosen the bird. Put in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.

While the bird is cooking, melt the butter in a pan, when the butter starts to froth, add the sage leaves and cook for a few minutes. Remove the leaves to some kitchen paper and set aside. Keep the sage flavoured butter in the pan off the heat.

Remove from the oven, pour any excess cooking juices into the sage butter pan, shake the roasting tray to release the bird then flip over so the breast is now on the bottom. Return to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove, turn back to the original breast side up position and cook for 15 more minutes.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove to a clean tray and leave to rest in a warm place while you finish the dish. Put the roasting tin on a high heat, add 200ml of water, bring to the boil and leave to bubble for a few minutes. Use a wooden spatula to scrape all this bits off the tray. Pour into the sage butter pan. Bubble to reduce by a third, whisk in the creme fraiche, add lemon to taste and season if necessary.

Cook the pasta to the pack instructions. Joint the chicken.

Drain the pasta. To serve pile the pasta into a large serving dish, pour over the sauce and using tongs, cover the pasta with the sauce, top with the chicken pieces and finish with sage leaves.

I wanted the flavours of a BLT but didn’t fancy a sandwich for dinner so came up with this idea. Lettuce wouldn’t work so I replaced it with rocket piled on the top at the end. When the rocket is stirred into the warm pasta it adds another delightful layer of flavour.

Cook the pancetta until golden brown and the fat has separated. Remove the bacon bits and leave the fat in the pan.

Add the onions to the bacon fat and sauté over a low heat for about 7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic. Add tomato puree, tinned tomatoes and fresh chill. Season with salt and a few pinches of sugar. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the pack instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.

With the sauce over a low heat and the basil then the pasta and stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes. To serve, dived the pasta between two bowls, sprinkle with bacon bits, fresh tomatoes and pile the rocket on top. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Easily adapted to add a different vegetable and leave out the chilli flakes if you don’t like spice

Start by making the pangritata. Melt a small knob (about 1/4) on the butter in a pan. Add panko. stir to coat and toast on a medium heat watching all the time as they burn easily. As soon as the crumbs start to turn golden, tip into a bowl, add 1 tbsp parsley and a few pinches of the lemon zest (reserving the rest).

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the brussels to your desired texture (i cooked mine for 6 minutes). With a slotted spoon to a bowl. (you don’t need to use the iced water I used in the film unless you are preparing ahead)

Bring the brussels sprout water back to the boil, drop in the pasta and cook to pack instructions (usually 10 minutes).

While the orzo is cooking, melt the rest of the butter in a pan, add the spring onions, parsley and chilli flakes if using. Sauté on a low light for 2 minutes, turn the heat up, add the sprouts, stir to coat, add a splash of wine and let it bubble for a couple of minutes.

Drain the orzo, stir into the pan with the brussels along with the rest of the parsley and lemon zest along with the parmesan.

I have served this as a starter in the restaurant and a main course for a family supper.

Heat the oven to 180C fan, Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta shells for 10 minutes until they are not quite cooked through and still holding their shape. Drain and rinse well under cold running water until they are cold.

Next make the pea sauce. The oil and butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions for 5 minutes until they start to soften, lover the heat and add the garlic, cooking for a few more minutes. Season, add the stock and 450g of the peas. Bring up to a boil then remove from the heat. Tip into a blender with the creme fraiche and herbs, blitz until smooth and pour into the bottom of a large shallow baking dish.

For the salmon, place a frying pan with a drizzle of oil on a medium heat. Season the fish and cook the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Flake the salmon into a bowl, discarding the skin, mix with chilli, lemon zest and juice, garlic, shallot and creme fraiche, check the seasoning.

Spoon the filling into the pasta shell and place the shells onto of the sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan and the remaining 50g of peas. Place in the oven and cook for 23-30 minutes until the cheese is golden and the sauce hot