Being a student means you have to live on a shoestring budget. Does that mean you have to sacrifice good food? We don't think so. Here are three budget pasta recipes under £7 for a good four portions. Please don't break the pasta, or the Italians will cry.

Common ingredients:

• 300 gr pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

For all three dishes, you need to boil the pasta in water until they are 'al dente' or firm. Don't forget to add salt to the boiling water. Strain the pasta and keep the pasta water. Immediately put olive oil on the pasta to prevent them from sticking together. You will then mix the pasta in a pan, depending on which recipe you are making. The key is to immediately mix the pasta with the sauce in the pan once the pasta is ready.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Parsley

Specific ingredients:

• 1 lemon
• 200 ml cooking cream
• parsley (or coriander if you like)
• 4 cloves of garlic

How to cook:

• While your pasta is boiling, heat the pan and put olive oil with 4 cloves of garlic (you can either crush the garlic or finely chop them, as you like)
• squeeze one lemon and put the juice into the pan
• put the cooking cream and half a cup of leftover pasta water into the pan, mix well
• lower the heat, toss the pasta in and add in pasta water until you get your preferred creamy texture
• add salt to taste
• put finely chopped parsley or coriander to finish

Pasta with Canned Tuna

Specific ingredients:

• tuna in olive oil (canned)
• half lemon, black pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic

How to cook:

• While the pasta is boiling, heat the pan and olive oil, lightly stir-fry the minced garlic
• add in tuna, half lemon juice and half a cup of leftover pasta water
• add in pasta, more olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well with low heat

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Specific ingredients:

• one whole garlic
• chilli flakes (peperoncino)
• black pepper
• parsley or coriander
• grated parmesan (optional)

How to cook:

• While the pasta is boiling, heat the pan and olive oil, and lightly stir-fry the finely cut garlic until golden brown
• once the edges turn a little dark, take the oil and the garlic off the pan into a bowl (this is key to making crispy well-mixed garlic oil)
• add more olive oil to the pan, toss the pasta in to mix, and turn off the heat
• add the garlic oil back into the pan, add plenty of chilli flakes and black pepper
• finish with finely chopped parsley/coriander and grated parmesan