basil leaf

This pasta bake is simple yet satisfying, great for a weeknight supper

Tomato & mozzarella spaghetti bake

olive oil

garlic cloves, chopped

tomatoes

chilli powder

spaghetti,

basil

pack mozzarella, sliced

grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)

<p>Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in large pan, add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, chilli and seasoning, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti, then drain. Mix the spaghetti with the tomato sauce and basil, then spoon half into a large ovenproof dish. Arrange half the mozzarella over the top and sprinkle with half the Parmesan. Repeat the layers, then bake for 15-20 mins until lightly browned on top. Scatter with extra basil and serve with a big green salad.</p>

Forget stuffed peppers and serve your veggie guests this sophisticated stuffed aubergine dish instead

Italian-style stuffed aubergines

aubergines

tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

onion,

garlic cloves, finely chopped

cherry tomatoes, halved

pitted green olives, chopped

basil leaves, chopped

mozzarella,

white breadcrumbs

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Slice the aubergines in half lengthways, leaving the stem intact. Using a small knife, cut a border inside each aubergine about ½-1cm thick. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the aubergine flesh, so that you have 4 shells. Brush these with a little of the oil, season and place in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Chop the flesh and place to one side.

Meanwhile, add the remaining oil to a non-stick frying pan. Tip in the onion and cook until soft. Add the chopped aubergine flesh and cook through. Tip in the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 3 mins more. Stir in olives, basil, mozzarella and seasoning.

When the aubergine shells are tender, remove from the oven and reduce heat to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pile stuffing into shells, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and drizzle with a little more oil. Bake for 15-20 mins, until the cheese is gooey and the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve with a green salad.

Jazz up sausages with this spicy tomato pasta

Chunky sausage & tomato pasta

pork sausages,

garlic cloves, crushed

milliliters medium white wine

tomato purée

can chopped tomatoes

pack rigatoni

basil leaves, torn, (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan (preferably not non-stick) and add the sausages. Fry for about 8 mins until golden and cooked through. Tip in the garlic and fry for 1 min. Pour in the white wine and boil until it has reduced by half.

Stir in the tomato purée and tomatoes, and season to taste. Simmer for 15 mins until the sauce is rich and thick.

While the sauce cooks, boil the pasta according to pack instructions and drain. Stir in the basil if using, and cooked pasta into the sauce, then serve in bowls with grated or shaved Parmesan.

Try a new topping for your pasta, ready in just 15 minutes

Pasta with creamy greens & lemon

pasta

broccoli florets

frozen soya beans

frozen peas

mange tout

mascarpone cheese

lemon

grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative

basil leaves

Cook pasta in a very large pan following the pack instructions, adding broccoli florets, frozen soya beans, frozen peas and mange tout for the final 3 mins of cooking time.

Drain, saving a ladleful of the cooking water first, then tip everything back into the pan. Stir in mascarpone or soft cheese, zest and juice 1 lemon, grated Parmesan, a handful basil leaves, some seasoning and a splash of cooking water.

The fresh colours and flavours of this salad are so summery and look especially good served on a big white plate

Prawn & avocado platter with lime & chilli dressing

large headless cooked prawn

avocados

bag baby green salad leaf

lime juice

tsp clear honey

lime wedges,

Peel the prawns, leaving the tails intact, then rinse and pat dry. Put all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to mix.

Up to 1 hr before serving, peel and stone the avocados, then cut into thick slices and put in a large bowl with half the dressing. Mix lightly to coat all the slices (this prevents them turning brown). Chop the basil and add to the bowl along with the prawns. Toss everything together lightly. Scatter the leaves over a platter, then spoon the prawns, avocado and basil mix over. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Try this comforting all-in-one pesto chicken dish with roasted vine tomatoes – chicken breasts are stuffed with a creamy pesto sauce and topped with breadcrumbs.

Creamy pesto chicken

boneless, skinless chicken breasts

mascarpone

breadcrumbs, preferably made from day-old bread

baby tomatoes on the vine

pine nuts

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Use a small sharp knife to make a slit along the side of each chicken breast to form a pocket. Mix together the pesto and mascarpone, then carefully spoon a quarter of the mixture into each chicken breast and smooth over the opening to seal.

Brush a little oil, about 1 tsp, all over each chicken breast and season well. Tip the breadcrumbs onto a large plate and season. Place each breast on the plate and press all over with the breadcrumbs. Place in a lightly oiled shallow baking dish along with the tomatoes (kept together on the vine in a couple of bunches). Drizzle over the remaining oil.

Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the chicken starts to turn golden and is cooked through. Scatter over the pine nuts and cook for 2 mins more. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve with new potatoes or crusty bread.

Save time and money with this simple and easy tomato and basil pasta sauce. It's also goes well with meat or fish, as well as a pizza topping.

Tomato sauce for pasta

garlic clove, crushed

vegetable stock powder

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the garlic clove, then gently fry for 1 min.

Tip in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock powder, tomato purée and 1 tsp sugar, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer uncovered for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.

To finish, tear a few basil leaves, then stir into the sauce.

This one-pot chicken dish can also be adapted for a veggie option

Easy chicken pie

onion, sliced

pack skinless chicken thighs,

vegetable oil

chicken stock

can sweetcorn, drained

tbsp crème fraîche

parsley

potatoes,

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan then add the onion and chicken. Fry for 5-10 mins until the onion is soft and the chicken is golden. Pour over the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins until the chicken is cooked. Stir in the corn, then 3 tbsp crème fraîche and the herbs.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes until soft. Drain and mash with remaining crème fraîche. Spoon the chicken mix into 4 pie dishes and top with mash. Place on a baking tray, then bake until potato is golden.

Flavoured butters are great to have to hand, make a batch and keep them in the freezer for meat and fish dishes

Flavoured butters

butter

2tbsp finely chopped parsley

garlic

(or vegetarian alternative)

1tbsp finely chopped sundried tomato

lime

red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

coriander

horseradish cream

peppercorns

chives

Take 100g of butter out of the fridge for an hour to soften. Flavour is key, so use good-quality semi-salted or unsalted butter. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon until it is soft and creamy, then beat in any of the flavourings you fancy. See each below.

Tip the flavoured butter onto a square of baking parchment or cling film, roll it around the butter to form a sausage shape, then twist the ends to seal. The butter is now ready to be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

Roasted fish Italian style

white fish

cherry tomatoes

black olive

pine nut

Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Take the fish fillets with the skin on, and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the fillets skin side down for 2-3 minutes until just crisp. Transfer to a large roasting tin, skin side down.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and scatter around the fillets. Cut the olives in half and scatter over the tomatoes, followed by the pine nuts. Season.

Put the tray in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the fish is tender. Remove from the oven and scatter the tomatoes with a the basil leaves. Spoon onto four warm plates and top each with fish. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Top 10 basil leaf recipes from across the web

The most viewed basil leaf recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Tomato & mozzarella spaghetti bake

Italian-style stuffed aubergines

Chunky sausage & tomato pasta

Pasta with creamy greens & lemon

Prawn & avocado platter with lime &...

Creamy pesto chicken

Tomato sauce for pasta

Easy chicken pie

Flavoured butters

Roasted fish Italian style

Top 10 basil leaf recipes from across the web

The most viewed basil leaf recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Tomato & mozzarella spaghetti bake

Italian-style stuffed aubergines

Chunky sausage & tomato pasta

Pasta with creamy greens & lemon

Prawn & avocado platter with lime &...

Creamy pesto chicken

Tomato sauce for pasta

Easy chicken pie

Flavoured butters

Roasted fish Italian style

The most viewed basil leaf recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine