fter the first few minutes of boiling, spaghetti are just stringy strands that you really wouldn’t want to eat. But at about the seven-minute mark, things start to change: the strands begin to yield and soften, before, eventually, they give in and give way, ready to be sauced up and spruced up. The past few months have felt a bit like this, too, as the world was thrown into hot water and told to change its form. We may not have reached that seven-minute mark quite just yet, but our ability to adapt and acclimatise gives me hope that we soon will. For now, though, the kitchen is our safe space, even if the question “What do I want for dinner?” has now changed to: “How do I make do with what I have?” Remember, recipes aren’t sacred; they are only there to guide and support you on your mealtime journeys. The skills and confidence you’ll build along the way will stay with you for ever and in time will shape the new way we all eat in future. Hawaij onion soup (pictured above) Breathe new life into the French classic with a tin of chickpeas and a few spices from the drawer. Spicy baked beans on toast Yotam Ottolenghi Spicy baked beans on toast with apple and cucumber salsa FacebookTwitterPinterest Weekday and weekend breakfasts may be hard to tell apart right now, but these work for both, or for an easy evening meal. Honey and yoghurt cornbread Yotam Ottolenghi Honey and yoghurt cornbread FacebookTwitterPinterest For breakfast, brunch or any time of day, really. Ginger egg fried rice Sunny side up: Yotam Ottolenghi’s ginger egg fried rice. FacebookTwitterPinterest Take your fried rice to the next level with the addition of a few kitchen staples. Baked orzo puttanesca Yotam Ottolenghi’s baked orzo puttanesca. FacebookTwitterPinterest The Neapolitan favourite gets the one-pot treatment. Za’atar cacio e pepe Yotam Ottolenghi’s za’atar cacio e pepe. FacebookTwitterPinterest A Middle Eastern twist on Italy’s store-cupboard go-to. Orecchiette with broccoli and rocket Yotam Ottolenghi Orecchiette with broccoli and rocket FacebookTwitterPinterest Or how to swap southern Italy’s turnip tops for more familiar UK supermarket veg. Brigadeiros brigadeiros FacebookTwitterPinterest This Brazilian sweet treat is one to get the kids involved in. Salted coffee pecan and lime rocky roads Yotam Ottolenghi’s salted coffee, pecan and lime rocky road. FacebookTwitterPinterest A grown-up version of America’s favourite chocolate treat (and if you can’t get pecans, use shelled walnuts instead). Tangerine and ancho chilli flan Tangerine and ancho chilli flan FacebookTwitterPinterest Crema catalana gets a spicy, fruity makeover.