Cheesy Pasta with Peas and Sweetcorn

Cheese sauce on pasta is one of those dishes that every British kitchen seems to have a version of. The idea is old and simple: take a plain white sauce, melt some cheese into it, and pour it over whatever starch you have. This version leans on the sort of ingredients most of us keep on hand. Quick-cook pasta, a bag of peas, a tin of sweetcorn and a bit of Cheddar are enough to feed two people on a tired weeknight.

A small thing worth knowing about the peas: they start to lose their bright green colour if they sit around too long, so it is worth adding them to the water at the last moment, as the method suggests. Frozen peas are often sweeter than the tinned kind, because they are picked and frozen quickly after harvest, which keeps their sugars from turning to starch. Sweetcorn behaves in a similar way, so either form works well here.

The sauce is the part that asks for a little attention. Keep the heat moderate and whisk the whole time, especially in the first minute or two when the flour and fat are still coming together. Once the milk is smooth and has thickened, take the pan off the heat before you add the cheese. Cheddar stirred into a sauce that is still boiling hard can turn grainy and oily, and a gentle hand avoids that. A pinch of mustard powder stirred in with the flour is a classic addition if you have some in the cupboard. It gives the cheese a little more bite without making the dish taste of mustard.

If you are cooking for one and want leftovers, let the pasta cool, then keep it in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days. The sauce firms up as it chills, so add a splash of milk when you reheat it in a pan, stirring until it loosens again. Leftovers also make a good packed lunch if you eat them cold with a handful of salad leaves.

For a meal with a bit more weight, serve this next to something green and crisp. A bowl of shredded cabbage or a quick tomato and cucumber salad balances the richness nicely. If you like a fuller dinner, a bowl of Creamy Corn Chowder with Roasted Sweet Potato makes a cosy starter, and the sweetcorn in both dishes ties them together. For something lighter afterwards, a small dish of Creamy cardamom vermicelli pudding with pistachios feels like a treat without being heavy.