Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

When my boys were growing up, I found the school holidays a bit daunting, wondering what to feed them that would be exciting, fresh, nutritious and delicious.

Even for parents who love cooking, it isn't an easy time - especially if you have teenagers who seem to devour everything in sight. 

One of my boys' favourite things to eat was a simple pasta bake dish that we called Ian’s Italian Casserole, so named because the original recipe was shared with me by a work colleague.

A colourful and hearty dish that brings together the best of Italian ingredients, it's quick and easy to assemble, using fridge and pantry staples. It's also a real winner, and quickly runs out every time I make it for a gathering of people. 

While I've tweaked the recipe over the years, here's my updated version - hopefully it helps anyone struggling for inspiration over the school holidays.

Ian's Italian Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 cup of macaroni.
  
• 2 tbsp of butter, olive oil or rapeseed oil.
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced).
  
• 1 onion peeled and chopped.
  
• 1 sweet red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced.
  
• 1 sweet green or yellow pepper, cored, deseeded and diced.
  
• 1 large can plum tomatoes.
  
• 1 red chipotle chilli - finely chopped.
  
• 1 tbsp tomato paste/puree.
  
• 1/4lb of fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced.
  
• Handful of grated mozzarella cheese.
  
• ½ lb salami – diced into small square pieces.
  
• 1 tsp of Italian mixed herbs.
  
• Salt and black pepper to taste.

Method

• Cook the macaroni in plenty of salted water for 10 minutes until al dente (tender but firm). Rinse under hot water and drain well.
  
• Pour into a shallow oven proof dish.
  
• Heat the butter or oil in a pan and fry the garlic and onions gently until soft and fragrant.
  
• Add the peppers and undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, salami and olives if using and stir well. Add a touch of water or stock if too thick.
  
• Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt and black pepper.
  
• Pour over the macaroni and stir to ensure sauce is evenly mixed; cover with the grated and fresh cheese.
  
• Bake uncovered in a moderate oven (160C°) for 20 minutes, until cheese has melted with golden bits
  
• Serve immediately with a green leafy salad.
  

Yemi's top tip: For an extra Italian twist, you can add olives. Although I leave them out, it's all about personal preference.

Yemi's verdict

One of the joys of summer holidays is the time that we get to spend with our loved ones, and one of the best ways to spend time together is creating memories in the kitchen. 

I hope you enjoy cooking this dish. Let me know your favourite thing to cook during the school holidays and I might just recreate and share it here.