Eat your freezer

We're all hiding something - a few pounds under a baggy jumper, an indiscriminate purchase from a partner, or a freezer-full of frostbitten bogofs and leftovers. Now that freezers never seem to need defrosting, there is no reason to confront their contents - but there is a very simple law of science that says you cannot keep putting more in if you don't take some out. So with the C-word (Christmas, of course) in mind, I am putting myself into reverse-hoarder gear and eating the freezer. I urge you to do the same; if not to make some room for all the festive goodies you will be making in advance of the big day, then simply to save money.

Yesterday I took out some very frosty home-made tomato pasta sauce, half a rustic loaf, a bag of chicken stock, 2 M&S vegetarian Kievs, some poached apricots and some ham. So what did I make with this motley selection?

I used the pasta sauce and ham on a pizza with a drizzle of chilli oil, mozzarella and dolcelatte
(dough recipe here);
the rustic loaf became garlic bread, served with carrot soup made with the stock
(chicken stock);
the apricots were pureed with some icing sugar and folded into whipped cream to become a fool
(more on fools);
and the veggie Kievs are for dinner tonight with couscous

Save your dough

January - the month of austerity. Maybe Dave's nicked your child benefit; maybe you spent a little too much on Christmas; or maybe you've resolved to save up for something nice. Just don't spend it on supermarket or takeaway pizza when you can make your own so easily.

Made by children for children

Pizza dough

1 teaspoon easy-blend dried yeast
300g white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
150 ml warm water

I use a bread maker, putting all the ingredients into it in the order listed above. It only takes 45 minutes, though I often make it in advance and leave it to rest in the machine until I am ready to cook. Pre-heat the oven to 220/gas 7 and roll out the dough to about 30cm diameter. Now add the tomato base layer. (Use ready-made tomato pasta sauce for speed - you can jazz up a bit by heating it in a pan with some crushed garlic, herbs, chopped tomatoes and a bit of sugar.) Then pile on anything you can find - sliced mozzarella plus a bit of Stilton, Brie, goat's cheese, parmesan, mascarpone, salami, ham, parma ham, bacon, olives, pine nuts, sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, courgettes, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil (chilli oil is my favourite)... Cook for about 15-20 minutes until it looks delicious.

You can also make it by hand: combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well for the water and oil and mix until everything is incorporated. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes, then cover with a tea towel and set aside until you are ready.