(soft guitar music) - [Mary Berry] I'm Mary Berry.

And in this series, I'm going to be showing you some of my absolute favorites.

Not too difficult to make, not too many ingredients, and the sort of recipes that the family are going to say, "Ooh," and "Aww."

And, "Please, can we have them again?"

These favorites have been inspired by the places I love.

The countryside, by the sea, markets, and gardens.

And, of course, my home.

I'll be sharing with you some brand new ideas and some recipes that I never ever told.

Tonight.

You're enjoying, aren't you, darling" It's my favorite dishes inspired by my family.

(soft upbeat string music) One of my joys in life is spending time with my grandchildren.

(children laughing) However busy I am, top priority is to have all the family around for meal whenever I can.

And there's nothing I enjoy more than when one of the dishes becomes a family favorite.

Tonight, an easy pasta dish that my grandsons get enough of, a spiced lamb casserole, that's a real family pleaser, easy biscuits that are such fun for small hands to make, and a cheat's pudding that they'll love every time.

But first, a rice dish that's always the top of my husband's list.

My husband, Paul's, absolute favorite is Malaysian fried rice.

He would have it every day of the week, and I bet that he'll be popping in when he smells it, 'cause you get that wonderful aroma from all the spices.

The reason why Paul likes this so much, is because before I married him, he worked Malaya, as it was then called, and I gathered he used to have it once a week, always.

So when I married him, I had to look up recipes for it and I've been making it ever since.

Start the fried rice by slicing two chicken breasts into strips.

Season and fry on a high heat.

(meat sizzling) There is a real tendency to overcook chicken.

And what I do is put some honey in the pan and the honey makes it go golden brown in no time, because each little strip is only going to take about a minute to cook.

That has been cooking fast.

I'm gonna turn it over now, and you've got a nice bit of brown.

Look at it.

That's what I wanted.

Doesn't that look tempting, right?

It's a gorgeous golden brown color.

I'm gonna just tip that out on the plate.

Now for the vegetables, add two large chopped onions to the same pan.

Gonna put a lid on that and let it partly fry, partly cook.

Roughly chop a red pepper and crush three cloves of garlic.

Bit of brute force.

Fry for five minutes and then add 200 grams of sliced button mushrooms.

So mix all those together.

Now, the spices that go in.

I've got some mild chili powder here, and I've got some curry powder.

You can buy a mixture of Malaysian spices to make this, but I just use curry powder because that's what I've got on my shelf.

So I'm gonna have a half a teaspoon full of mild chili powder, and then a level tablespoon full of the curry powder.

It's at this stage that if the doors are open in the house, and you get that sort of spicy smell, Paul comes around the corner and just wonders what I'm up to.

I wouldn't change my husband for the world, but in the kitchen he doesn't become involved.

If I'm poorly, which is so rare, he can do two things, boil eggs, and make an excellent omelet.

Now, even then we argue about the omelet 'cause he said his French godmother taught him to put milk in the omelet and I always put water.

So I don't think we'd be very compatible in the kitchen.

I think I like being there and just having him come in to enjoy it.

I've already cooked 250 grams of long grain rice with 150 grams of frozen peas.

Now it's cool, I can add it to the mix.

It'll fry and become crispy if it's cold.

If it's warm, it'll be soggy.

So cold rice, cold peas.

Give it a good fry.

Mix it all together, add four tablespoons of soy sauce, and fry on a high heat until it's lovely and crispy.

Put the chicken on the top to warm through, and fry one egg for each person who's eating.

That's it, it's ready.

Didn't take many moments.

So I'm gonna stir in the chicken.

I know that familiar tread.

- [Paul] Yeah!

- [Mary Berry] Have a try.

I'll take mine straight from the pan.

See what you think.

- Delicious.

This is very, very nice.

- [Mary Berry] Good.

Well up to the standard, I would say.

- Tuck into the rest.

- (laughs) Right.

- And I'll pinch more from the pan.

- Okay.

So I do hope that you'll have a go at home.

It's our great family favorite, and I hope it'll become one of yours.

(bright string music) (upbeat guitar music) With five grandchildren who are always on the move, (children giggling) I'm never short of hungry visitors or helping hands in the kitchen.

(girl shouting) This next dish is a perfect way to get them cooking.

(children laughing) Pasta, in our house, is always the first choice for supper.

They started off with pesto with pasta, and now they have much more exciting things, but this time it's going to be chicken.

And as you can see, I've got a bit of help.

This is Hobie and Louis, and we're all going to do it together.

Wish us luck.

Start by cooking 250 grams of dried penne pasta and add one roughly chopped onion to the boiling, salted water.

You're probably wondering why I put onion in with the pasta.

I find it's much easier to cook the pasta with the onion, they cook the same time, rather than frying it, which sometimes it catches, sometimes it's not even tender.

While the pasta cooks, move on to the chicken.

For six people, use three chicken breasts cut into little strips.

If you've got a bag there, Louis, if you put one tablespoon full of paprika pepper in the bag first, and that makes it really, really brown and crispy.

That's it.

And then a little bit of pepper and salt, that's it.

And then put the chicken in there, all of it.

Well done.

And then if you hold the top of the bag, and rub until you coat it, rub it like that with your hands.

That's right.

That's it, give it a good rub.

Heat one tablespoon full of oil and in goes the coated chicken.

Now it goes in, in a lump, but I'm going to divide all that up.

And then each piece will get brown.

While Louie chops and de-seeds two tomatoes, Hobie and I make a start on the white sauce.

Melt 50 grams of butter and add 50 grams of plain flour.

Sprinkle it in.

Now, when you stir that, just like you, what did you make for grandpa this morning?

- Um, porridge.

- And you were stirring it with that.

So left hand on the pan to steady it, and just stir it to start with.

Now add 750 mil a of hot milk in two lots.

That's right.

Now would you say that was getting smooth?

- Kind of.

- Kind of.

I think that's pretty good.

Add most of a hundred grams of Parmesan to the pan.

That's it.

And we'll keep that for the top.

And then one teaspoon of Dijon mustard.

- So, all of it or half?

- [Mary Berry] Just one level one.

That's it.

In it goes.

Give that a bit of a stir.

Finally, season, then add the cooked pasta and onion.

Pour half the mix into a three-pint, buttered, oven-proof dish.

Then we're going to put the chicken in.

I'm going to do that in one layer like that.

Then all the rest of the pasta over the top and well done.

It's not a bit burnt on the bottom.

You stirred it all the time.

That's it.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and the chopped tomatoes on top.

That's still warm, so I'm going to put it in the oven at 200 degrees fan, and it'll be all bubbling and crispy on top in about 20 minutes.

How about going out and having a bit of a play till it's done?

- All right, goodbye.

(children laughing) When it's ready, leave it to cool down a bit, and then dig in.

Who wants a taste?

- Me.

- Me.

- Okay.

Are you going to have some, Atalanta?

Yes.

Look at all these crunchy bits on top.

Now that's for you, too?

- Ooh.

I need to get that bit.

- [Mary Berry] This has always been one of my favorites.

I think it going to be one of their favorites too.

(upbeat guitar music) There's nothing I love more than a fun and relaxed Sunday lunch.

With three generations around the table, there's always plenty to catch up on.

- [Annabel] Wow, what have we got here?

- Mashed potato.

- Mashed potato?

- [Thomas] Family meals really mean time when everyone can stop what they're doing and just be together.

Ta da!

(laughs) - [Annabel] It just gives us all a chance to have a good chat, talk about what's been going on in the day, and I love it.

I love weekends when we're all there, too.

Taste good?

- I can taste the flavor, yeah!

- [Grace] I love my granny's cooking because she never over does it or never under does it.

- And it's all always really yummy.. - [Louis] I love coming to Granny's to have a meal with all my family.

- And I like... - Falling over.

...eating all the food.

- [Mary Berry] You're enjoying it, aren't you, darling?

Look at Hobie (indistinct) My next recipe is a fantastic alternative to the Sunday roast, and always has them coming back for more.

It's a great family dish.

It's aromatic.

It's also spicy, but not too hot.

To feed six, use one kilo of lamb neck filet cut into small pieces.

Coat with two tablespoons of ground cumin and two tablespoons of ground coriander.

Then just turn the meat in those spices.

Heat two tablespoons of oil and start browning the meat.

With this much, it's best to do it in two batches.

Now just look at that, a gorgeous, golden brown color.

Now that takes time, but keep a single layer in the bottom of the pan.

Keep turning it.

That's it.

Then I'm going to put a little more oil in there, only a little.

Just enough to stop it from catching the bottom.

Add two sliced onions and around a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.

Give that a good stir.

Now looking in the bottom of the pan there, you see that the onions have in fact cleaned all that lovely, brown, crusty bit of flavor.

And it's now on the onions.

Now I'm going to add the other ingredients.

First of all, the wine, 250 mil of white wine.

Exactly.

Then two tablespoons of tomato puree, and one of mild rose harissa paste.

Two tablespoons of runny honey, a 400 gram tin of chopped tomatoes.

Season, and add the zest of a whole lemon, and the juice of half.

So there's the meat all beautifully brown.

And if there's any of the little bit of juice in the bottom, that'll go in too.

Give that a good stir.

God, doesn't that look good?

Beautiful lamb and all those spices and tomato.

On with the lid.

So that goes in the oven at one 140 fan, for about one and a half hours, just until it's tender.

So here it is straight out of the oven, and it should be hot and bubbling.

Ah, that's what I was hoping for, a gorgeous color.

Looking really tempting.

What I want to do now is add the cannellini beans.

I'm using a 400 gram tin of beans, rinsed.

And very often I add a couple more cans if everybody is starving.

If the children are very young, you can just put bake beads in there.

So there it is.

You've got beautifully soft, tender, meat, the onion's tender.

It just smells all spicy and aromatic but a wee bit of a kick to it.

This dish is great to serve with rice or couscous.

And I always finish mine with a good dollop of sour cream.

That is so good.

Do you know the sour cream really makes it because it's a little spicy, and a little bit on the hot side, and that cools it down.

It's just lovely.

(upbeat guitar music) I've been baking with my granddaughters, Abby and Grace, ever since they were small.

And this is a simple biscuit recipe with a great twist, that I know they will love.

We're gonna make a mixture that makes quite a lot of biscuits.

We're going to divide the mixture in three and we're going to make almond biscuits, and chocolate chip, and lemon biscuits.

So we've got a variety of biscuits all from one mixture.

So shall we start off with the butter?

How much have we got there?

- 175.

- [Mary Berry] 175 grams of softened butter.

Then 175 grams of flour.

That's it, no sieving either.

And then 75 grams of caster sugar, and to give the biscuits a little bit of crunch, 75 grams of semolina.

Now mix it all together.

(mixer whirs) (upbeat music) That looks about ready.

As you sort squeeze it, it comes together like a biscuit mixture.

So Abby, - Yep.

you are going to get that together.

So how long have we been baking together?

- Well, I remember in the kitchen, there's this one photo of me and Abby when we were about four.

- [Mary Berry] Exactly.

- [Grace] And we were making the little cupcakes and we were putting the sweets on the top.

- [Mary Berry] And do you remember eating all those little bits and far more important than making the cakes?

- [Grace] Yeah.

- [Mary Berry] That's come together really well.

Now make it into a sausage shape and divide it into three.

- [Grace] Can I make the almond ones, please?

- There's your almond things.

- [Grace] Thank you.

- Can I make the chocolate ones?

- I knew you were going to ask for chocolate.

That's good.

Abby's chosen 50 grams of milk chocolate chips to mix into the dough.

- [Abby] You need to get it everywhere.

'Cause when you separate it into different biscuits, you don't wanna have one with all the chocolate chips in, and one with none of them in.

So you have to get it everywhere.

- [Grace] Well, the person with all the chocolate Chips will be quite lucky.

- [Mary Berry] Grace is adding a teaspoon of almond extract and most of the 40 grams of flaked almonds to her dough.

- [Mary Berry] Do you enjoy helping?

- Yes.

Really fun.

- Really fun.

- What's what's the best part?

- Knowing that you can eat it at the end.

And also the mixture's really nice to eat.

- Do you like raw mixture?

- Yes.

- Mhm.

- [Mary Berry] Each mixture is divided into 20 even rounds.

For the lemon biscuits, add the finely grated zest of one lemon to the dough.

Years ago, I used to work for the Dutch Dairy Bureau, and their favorite Dutch biscuit were botermoppen.

And what you do is that you made a sausage and then you took Demerara sugar, and sprinkled it on the table like this.

Then all you do is you roll that in it.

So if you can imagine, if you cut slices from this, you'll get a lovely, crunchy outside.

Wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge to firm up.

Put the rounds on baking trays lined with non-stick baking parchment.

For the almond biscuits, gently press the balls flat, and top with a few flaked almonds.

Press the chocolate chip rounds evenly.

Finally, slice the firmed lemon biscuit dough into 20 rounds.

Would they last long in your household?

- [Abby] No way, dad would eat them.

- He's always poking around in the fridge.

Wherever we try and hide them, he's always there.

- [Mary Berry] Cook all the biscuits at 160 fan for 10 to 12 minutes, until they're a lovely, pale, golden brown around the edges.

I'm going to leave you two in charge.

Keep your eye on them.

- [Grace] Granny!

We think they might be ready.

- [Mary Berry] Oh good.

I can't wait.

Let's have a look, then.

- [Grace] They look ready.

- [Mary Berry] You are absolutely right.

There we are.

And those are perfect too.

Well done.

Once the biscuits cool, it's the bit that we've all been waiting for.

Come on, let's have a taste.

Which would you like?

Now who's gonna pass it to Granny?

'Cause I can't reach that far.

That's lovely.

Now I'm going for the lemon one.

- [Grace] Mm, they're really nice.

Could I have another one?

- [Mary Berry] My family have always loved my cooking, and there's nothing they like more than a delicious pudding, especially my take on an old classic.

There's nothing more popular than lemon meringue pie, in my family, anyway.

It is so impressive.

But I've got a cheats one.

It's using a crumb crust and it's so simple to make.

For the crust, add 12 crushed digestives to melted butter.

I like a little sugar in that, and I'm going to use some Demerara sugar, about a tablespoon.

That's it.

Then you just mix that together.

It's all so simple.

I mean, some other crumb crusts, I use ginger biscuits, but for lemon meringue pie, it has to be digestive.

Pour the mixture into a 23 centimeter, eight inch, flan dish.

And then, just level it in the middle and work it around the sides.

I really enjoy this crumb crust.

And I find I make it so often because it's so easy.

You know, I do think twice about if you've got to make a pastry, bake it blind, all takes time.

But this is really very, very quick.

There's my crumb crust.

Done, finished.

(spoon clatters) Put it there, just ready to have the filling in.

Add one 394 gram tin of full-fat condensed milk.

It used to be in tubes when I was a child.

And you used to have this tube and take it out like toothpaste.

It was absolutely delicious.

Add three egg yolks.

I'm just going to combine that for a moment, and then it gets this lovely color.

Next, you'll need the zest and juice of two lemons.

You know, this is a real show stopper.

Anything with meringue, my lot absolutely love.

You know, we've often had it for a birthday, you know just putting sparks in the top and walking in with it.

It all makes it very, very special, if it's a birthday.

And so add the lemon juice, and you'll notice instantly it's beginning to get thick.

Can you see?

It's almost like magic.

(mixture sloshing in bowl) That's it.

Just level it right into the edges, like that.

Leave it in the fridge to set and start making the meringue.

(mixer whirring) Whisk three egg whites on full speed until stiff And then slowly add 175 grams of caster sugar.

I think that would just about be right.

Now, let's have a look at that.

I want it to be shiny, standing up in peaks.

That's a perfect meringue.

Once the pie has set, carefully spread the meringue over it.

And the aim is to cover all the crumb crust and the middle as well.

So you have to put it on and just push it to the side.

It's not easy.

I find it best to go around in sort of blobs and then into the middle.

So press it down.

That's it.

Now you can do little swirls all the way around.

Make it the sort of same mountain in the middle.

And I think that's far nicer than piping.

I think it looks homemade.

And I love these little swirls and peaks.

All right, stop playing with it.

It's perfectly alright.

Cook at 190 fan for 15 to 20 minutes.

Then set aside for at least half an hour before serving warm.

I think it looks very special, but I do warn you.

The first slice is always difficult to get out Have a little prayer, hope for the best.

How does that look?

I think it looks delicious.

Oh, so good.

I think everybody's going to enjoy that.

Who's got room for my favorite pudding?

(group laughs) So there you have it.

- [Annabel] Wow!

Tom, you won't want any of this.

- [Mary Berry] Recipes to bring your whole family together.

- [Hobie] Is that meringue?

- This is meringue.

(group awes) I hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do.

Atalanta, is it nice?

What does it taste like?

- Strawberry.

- [Thomas] Strawberry?

(group laughs) (bright piano music)