Pumpkin Ravioli

• Extra virgin olive oil is good for drizzling on salads and should never be heated as this destroys the fine properties
• Lighter olive oil is good for adding to bread, or to flavour a salad or marinade for chicken, meat, fish or vegetables. Lighter olive oil can be gently heated and added to marinades and baking.

Sea salt’s pronounced and salty flavour means less is required to season food.

• Although it might seem odd, grinding black pepper over a bowl of strawberries enhances the flavour of the fruit.
• Pepper that is pre-ground is not fresh tasting and often has other ingredients mixed in.
• Choose the type of mill that suits you, and if you want coarser pepper you can loosen the screw on the top of the mill or crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar

To keep cut parsley or coriander, put in a hole free polythene bag with a couple of tablespoons of cold water, give the bag a good shake and keep in the salad drawer of the fridge. Herbs should keep for a week like this.

• Keep eggs in the fridge in their box and never eat them after their use-by date.
• The Health Protection Agency recommends buying Lion branded eggs, which come from vaccinated hens and are therefore less likely to contain salmonella

• Parmesan often goes rock hard or becomes horribly sweaty. Ideally, all cheese should be stored in a cool, airy place at a temperature of 46-50F/8-10C. However, most of us put it straight into the fridge. This is fine providing the cheese is kept loosely wrapped in its own airtight container so it isn’t tainted by other foods.
• Store it in the salad drawer, which is not quite as cold as the rest of the fridge and use a micro plane for grating.

Dry slices of white or wholemeal bread on a flat baking sheet in the oven – just pop them in when (or immediately after) something else is cooking. Leave to dry until completely crisp, when they will snap in half easily. Cool completely and whiz in a food processor or blender. Store in a freezer bag.