TO KICK off the Evening Post's campaign, Bristol food and wine writer Fiona Beckett has come up with a recipe to feed a family of four for a fiver.

Fiona, of Clifton, is the author of new cook book The Frugal Cook, which is all about getting the most out of your ingredients, saving money and eating well on a budget.

Before this latest book, she had written three cookbooks for students – the Beyond Baked Beans series.

Fiona said: "It is a book for all of us who are trying to cut back. One of my biggest pieces of advice is that you need to shop around. It sounds old fashioned, and people will say they don't have time, but just keep an eye open when you're out and about.

"Last week I discovered a joint of pork for £1.64 – there are bargains out there, but they are not all in one place. Supermarkets are not always cheapest – try independent shops too."

Fiona came to food writing quite late in life – she had raised a family, worked in PR and even stood for parliament as an Social Democratic Party candidate.

Originally based in London, she moved to Bristol a couple of years ago and spends much of her time looking for food bargains at her local shops in Redland or at the Whiteladies Road farmers' market. Fiona said that even in today's economic climate, people can still eat healthily and well.

She said: "People think that frugal food is not going to be tasty, that they will be compromising on something. But that isn't the case."

The Frugal Cook mentions 20 ways to cut back food bills by 20 per cent, but Fiona says that is a conservative estimate. "I think most people could cut their bills by a third and still eat really well," she said. "They just need to rethink the way they shop."

The Frugal Cook by Bristol writer Fiona Beckett is published by Absolute Press, priced £14.99.

Family dinner for £6.55: Chicken and mushroom pasta bake recipe from Fiona Beckett's The Frugal Cook

THIS is a good way to use up leftover chicken so should easily come in at under £5.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

40g butter

250g button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme or tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tbsp plain flour

300 ml whole or semi-skimmed milk

250g dried pasta

About 300g cooked chicken or turkey, skin removed, chopped small

40g grated gruyere or 20g finely grated parmesan (or 40g cheddar)

10g fresh or frozen breadcrumbs (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

MELT the butter in a large non-stick saucepan or deep frying pan and add the sliced mushrooms.

Fry over a moderate heat until any liquid has disappeared then stir in the thyme or tarragon.

Stir in the flour, cook for a minute then stir in the milk. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, put the pasta on to cook for the time recommended on the pack. Add the chopped chicken or turkey to the sauce and simmer for five minutes.

Turn on the grill. Drain the pasta and tip into the sauce together with half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and tip into an ovenproof dish.

Mix the remaining cheese (with the breadcrumbs) and place the dish under (but not too close to) the grill and leave till the top is nicely browned and bubbling.

Cost of ingredients from Asda:

£1.96 Cooked chicken slices

£0.41 Pasta shapes (500g)

£0.68 Thyme

£0.59 Mushrooms

£0.45 Milk (one pint)

£1.84 Cheddar (250g)

£0.62 Butter

Total: £6.55 (but you will have leftover cheese, milk, butter and pasta)

Variations: Add some chopped ham as well as the chicken. Use leeks as a base instead of mushrooms and add fresh spring vegetables such as chopped asparagus stalks, peas and peeled, podded broad beans.