Quick, easy & delish!

JAMIE OLIVER delivers delicious meals with just five ingredients

Jamie’s new cookbook is perfect for busy people, enabling you to rustle up no-fuss, budget-friendly dishes with amazing flavour. Here he talks about his love of cooking...

Who inspired you?

When I was at catering college, I really wanted to learn how to make perfect pasta – and my teacher told me that there was only one man to learn this from: Mr Gennaro Contaldo. I managed to get a job on the pastry section and wangled my way in to meet Gennaro. He’s an absolute legend, and has been my mentor and dear friend ever since.

Describe your home cooking...

[My wife] Jools tends to cook for the kids during the week and I’ll normally take over at weekends. We love a roast on a Sunday – you can give it a bit of love in the morning, get it in the oven and go and play with the kids or get on with whatever you’ve got to do, then hours later you’ve got a lovely dinner to look forward to.

What are your pantry essentials?

I have a list of five pantry ingredients, which are really my everyday staples – olive oil for cooking, extra-virgin olive oil for dressing and finishing, red wine vinegar as a good all-rounder, and, of course, sea salt and black pepper for seasoning.

What kitchen item couldn’t you live without?

If you’ve got a good set of pans then you’re halfway there in the kitchen.

What do you whip up at home?

For me, the book is all about having different gears for different scenarios. Fitting simple, gorgeous, bold food, made from scratch into your own schedule – that’s what makes it quick and easy. In the Oliver household, the easy sausage carbonara is a hit with the whole gang and the chicken dishes are going down really well. 5 Ingredients — Quick & Easy Food by Jamie Oliver (Penguin Random House, $49.99).