Salty-sour noodles, shallot pasta and lamb ragu: Alison Roman’s recipes for store-cupboard specials

Make-ahead caramelised shallot pasta, brothy vinegar noodles with mushrooms and sesame, and a super-savoury lamb ragu

To say this caramelised shallot pasta changed my life might be a bit dramatic, but it also might be true – then again, so many people love a little skillet of caramelised shallots, a tin of anchovies and a whole lot of tomato puree as much as I do. But, first, for me one of life’s greatest pleasures is a bowl of perfectly cooked, slippery udon or soba in a shallow pool of something salty and vinegary, eaten alone on a brief but well-deserved lunch break. These noodles are a homage to the countless solo lunches I’ve had at a variety of wonderful Japanese restaurants.