Self-isolation dinners: Simple, cheap recipes to make as coronavirus keeps people at home

As more Australians stay home, there are affordable ways to make the most of what’s in the pantry when everything is sold out at the shops.

Keep calm and carry on cooking — we’ve got you covered.

That is the message from Australia’s most popular recipe website and brand, taste.com.au, as Aussies deal with a lack of their usual ingredients caused by panic-buyers.

Taste has launched a new section called Keep Calm Kitchen which specialises in recipes calling for fewer elements, like two-ingredient bread or a cheesecake made out of tinned goods.

It also features meal plans, shopping lists, live dinnertime cook-alongs, how-to guides, latest supermarket updates, videos and infographics; and the team are on standby on taste’s social media to answer your questions.

Their message is being amplified by stars like Sky’s Jaynie Seal and celebrity chef Jason Roberts, who have joined forces to create and share healthy, low-ingredient recipes.

The well-known mates are demonstrating low-budget, easy dishes via a live Instagram cooking show that is being viewed by followers as far afield as the US and UK, as well as closer to home.

Sky presenter Jaynie Seal and chef Jason Roberts at her home in North Bondi where they have launched a "keep calm and carry on" recipe list. Photographer: Adam Yip

“In these extremely concerning and unpredictable times my great buddy Jason and I put our heads together to see how we can make a difference utilising the various skills we have. Connection is now more important than ever,” said Seal.

“People are enjoying being part of the conversation and being part of a community.”

The pair will work with a number of taste recipes and solutions, which are being adapted as the situation changes day by day.

“Through every food dilemma, and every season, taste.com.au has always been there for Aussies,” said taste editor-in-chief Brodee Myers-Cooke. “Right now, in a whole new world of challenges, Aussies have never needed more help and guidance, with needs changing day-by-day and hour-by-hour.”

Here are three top recipes from the taste team:

TWO-INGREDIENT BREAD

Searches for bread recipes went up 80 per cent in the past fortnight. While many people may have a bag of flour in the pantry, yeast is now really hard to get hold of. So try this yeast-free version:

Ingredients:

300g (2 cups) self-raising flour

260g (1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt

Method:

1. Place the flour in a bowl. Add the yoghurt and stir until just combined. Turn onto a well-floured surface and knead until well combined.

2. Divide the dough into 6 portions. Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll out 1 portion to an 18cm disc.

3. Heat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan on medium-high. Cook the flatbreads, in batches, for 1-2 mins each side or until charred and cooked through.

4. Serve with dips, turn into a pizza or an open sandwich, or even top with Nutella and berries for an easy dessert.

Two-ingredient flat bread: Michelle Southan/taste.com.au

CREAMY CHICKEN RISONI

Risoni: it’s Australia’s most misunderstood pasta, which is why it is largely left on the shelf during panic buying. As a pasta that looks and behaves a bit like rice, it is perfect for bakes, risottos and even fried rice dishes. Searches for risoni were up 61 per cent in the past fortnight as people struggled to make sense of what to do with it. This is one of Taste’s top dishes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 (about 1.2kg) chicken drumsticks

1 leek, trimmed, sliced

200g button mushrooms

6 large sage leaves, torn

305g (1 1/2 cups) dried risoni

750ml (3 cups) Massel salt reduced chicken style liquid stock

300ml ctn pouring cream

150g (1 cup) frozen peas

Finely grated parmesan, to serve (optional)

Shredded lemon zest, to serve (optional)

Fried sage leaves, to serve (optional)

(If you can’t get hold of leeks, you could swap them for onion. And if mushrooms are hard to find, try adding chopped pumpkin or extra frozen veg instead.)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Place a large baking dish in the oven for 5 minutes or until hot.

2. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Drizzle 3 tsp oil over the base of the dish. Add the chicken, leek, mushrooms and sage. Season. Drizzle over remaining 3 tsp oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is golden.

3. Use tongs to turn the drumsticks. Sprinkle the risoni between the drumsticks. Pour over the stock and cream. Bake for a further 30 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the liquid is almost absorbed.

4. Transfer the drumsticks to a plate and cover with foil. Add the peas to the risoni and stir well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until peas are warmed through. Return the chicken to the dish. Sprinkle with parmesan, lemon zest and fried sage leaves, if you like.

Risoni creamy chicken bake: Nigel Lough/ taste.com.au

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CONDENSED MILK AND FRUIT SALAD CHEESECAKE

In challenging times everyone needs a little dessert in their lives. This cheesecake from Australia’s Best Recipes is made entirely from pantry and fridge staples. You don’t even need to turn on your oven to make it.

Ingredients:

200g plain sweet biscuits

100g butter, melted

500g cream cheese, at room temperature

395g tin condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 tsp gelatine powder

300ml thickened cream, whipped

820g tin fruit salad in juice

Method:

1. Lightly grease a 24cm springform cake tin with butter and line the base and sides with baking paper. In a food processor, blitz biscuits into a fine crumb. Add butter and blitz until just combined. Pour into the prepared tin and use a large spoon to press into an even layer in the base. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor, then add cream cheese, condensed milk and vanilla. Process until smooth.

3. Place 2 tbs boiling water in a small bowl and sprinkle over gelatine powder. Whisk with a fork until gelatine is completely dissolved. Add to cream cheese and blitz to combine. Fold through whipped cream.

4. Pour half the cream cheese mixture into the prepared tin on top over the biscuit base. Drain fruit salad well and layer over the cream cheese. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture and smooth over the top. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight, to set.

5. Just before serving, release the cheesecake from the tin and carefully remove baking paper and transfer to a serving plate. Slice and serve.

More at Taste.com.au

Condensed milk and fruit salad cheesecake: Greer Worsley/Australia's Best Recipes

Originally published as Self-isolation dinners: Simple, cheap recipes to make as coronavirus keeps people at home