TRY A TASTY TRAY BAKE Keep weekday dinners nice and easy

TRAY BAKE Try a tasty

Fancy something fabulous and faff-free? These meals are big on flavour and small on washing up

SPICY MEATBALL PASTA BAKE

TAKES 1 HR SERVES 4

6 spring onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped 250g minced pork 250g minced chicken 1tsp dried mixed herbs 1tbsp olive oil 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 1tsp brown sugar 300g fusilli pasta 4tbsp Parmesan, grated

1Combine the spring onion, garlic, chillies, pork, chicken and herbs. Season, then shape into 24 balls. 2 Heat the oil in a pan and cook the meatballs for 2-3 mins, until golden. Add the tomatoes and sugar. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 mins. Season. 3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Cook the pasta to pack instructions and drain. 4 Stir the pasta through the meatball sauce and transfer to a heatproof dish. Top with the Parmesan and sprinkle over a little black pepper. Bake for 30 mins.

COMFORT FOOD

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SIMPLE SUPPER

SWITCH THE SAUSAGES FOR YOUR FAVOURITE MEAT-FREE ONES TO MAKE THIS DISH VEGGIE

SAUSAGE, APPLE AND VEG BAKE

TAKES 55 MINS SERVES 2

4 gluten-free sausages 2tbsp olive oil 1½tbsp wholegrain mustard 200g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks 2 apples, cut into quarters 1 red onion, cut into wedges 5 fresh sage leaves 1tbsp runny honey 100g kale, shredded

1Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Toss the sausages in 1tbsp of the oil and ½tbsp mustard. Bake for 15 mins, shaking the pan halfway through. 2 Meanwhile, toss the squash, apple, onion and sage through the remaining oil, mustard and the honey. Add this mix to the oven tray, placing the sausages on top so they brown. Cook for 20 mins. 3 Add the kale to the tray, giving it all a good mix and place the sausages back on the top. Cook for another 10 mins. Serve immediately.

FISH AND BROCCOLI TRAY BAKE

TAKES 45 MINS SERVES 4

1 onion, cut into wedges 300g cherry tomatoes on the vine 5tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 4 x 150g chunky fish fillets, such as cod loin or monkfish 1 lemon, sliced 200g Tenderstem broccoli Bunch of fresh dill, chopped

1Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Put the onion and tomatoes in a large roasting tin, add the olive oil and toss well to mix. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and then bake for 20 mins, until the veg is starting to soften and char at the edges. 2 Place the fish fillets and lemon slices on top of the veg. Drizzle over a little extra oil. Bake for a further 15 mins, until the fish is just cooked through. Add the broccoli for the last 10 mins. Top with the chopped dill before serving.

GLUTEN FREE

HALLOUMI, VEGETABLE AND LENTIL BAKE

TAKES 45 MINS SERVES 6

1 cauliflower, cut into florets 1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 2tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, sliced 1tbsp smoked paprika 2 x 225g blocks halloumi, sliced 2 x 250g pouches puy lentils 250g cherry tomatoes 1tbsp balsamic vinegar Handful of rocket, to serve FOR THE MARINADE: 1tsp capers 2tsp sumac Small handful of fresh parsley 1tsp balsamic vinegar 3tbsp olive oil

1Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Put the cauliflower, onion and mushrooms in a roasting tray. Stir through the oil, garlic and paprika. Roast for 20 mins. 2 Meanwhile, blitz the marinade ingredients together with 1tbsp water until smooth. Drizzle the marinade over the halloumi. Set aside. 3 Add the lentils, tomatoes and vinegar to the tray, and bake for another 10 mins. Preheat the grill. 4 Sit the halloumi on top of the veg, drizzle over any leftover marinade and pop under the grill for 5 mins. Sprinkle over the rocket.

WINTER WARMER VEGGIE WONDER

IF CEL ERIAC ISN ’ T FOR YOU, SWA P IT FOR AN EXTRA 300G POTATOES INSTEAD

SMOKED HADDOCK, SPINACH AND CELERIAC BAKE

TAKES 1 HR 10 MINS SERVES 4

1 leek, chopped 140g potatoes, peeled and sliced ½ celeriac, peeled and cut into 3mm-thick slices 75ml vegetable stock 100ml double cream 25g butter Generous grating of fresh nutmeg 200g spinach 300g undyed smoked haddock, broken into chunks Fresh basil, to serve

1Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Put the leek, potato and celeriac in an ovenproof dish. Mix together the stock, cream, butter and nutmeg, and pour over the veg. Bake for 45 mins. 2 Meanwhile, put the spinach in a colander and pour a kettleful of recently boiled water over it, allow to cool, then squeeze out the water. 3 Place the spinach and fish on top. Bake for 15 mins. Sprinkle over the basil.

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NICE AND SPICY

BAKED CHILLI CHICKEN TRAY BAKE

TAKES 1 HR 20 MINS, PLUS MARINATING SERVES 4

5 preserved lemons 1tbsp cumin seeds, toasted 5tbsp olive oil 3tbsp harissa 1tbsp ground coriander 1tbsp ground cinnamon 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2tsp dried mint 2 red onions, sliced 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on 5tbsp fresh coriander, chopped 5tbsp fresh mint, chopped 50g pistachios, chopped Lemon wedges

1Cut the preserved lemons in half and remove the flesh and pips, then finely chop the rind. Use a pestle and mortar to crush the cumin seeds. Mix the lemon rind and cumin seeds with 4tbsp of the oil, the other spices, garlic, mint and the onion. Season, then pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge. 2 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Put the rest of the oil in a shallow roasting tin with the chicken. 3 Top each piece of chicken with a little of the onion mixture. Spoon over any remaining marinade, season well. Bake for 50-60 mins or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. 4 Sprinkle over the herbs and pistachios, and serve with a squeeze of lemon.

ESPRESSO CARAMEL BARS

TAKES 1 HR 15 MINS, PLUS CHILLING MAKES 12

175g butter 90g caster sugar 225g plain flour 397g tin caramel 180g dark chocolate 100g milk chocolate, melted 100ml double cream 2tsp instant espresso coffee powder

1Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Mix the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the flour and mix until combined. 2 Tip the mixture on to a greaseproof paper-lined work surface and knead it together to make a smooth ball. Gently roll out to the size of an 18x28cm tin. Lift up the greaseproof paper and flip the shortbread into a lined tin, pressing well into the edges. Prick the base all over with a fork. Bake for 15-20 mins, until pale golden. 3 Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread and spread out in an even layer. Bake for 15 mins, until the caramel is bubbling. Cool. 4 Break up the dark chocolate and melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Gently heat the cream. Pour it into the melted dark chocolate and add the coffee powder. Stir together to combine. 5 Spread the dark chocolate mix over the top of the caramel. Use a piping bag to drizzle the melted milk chocolate over the top. Chill for 1 hr. Cut into squares to serve.

SLICE OF MOCHA

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TEATIME TREAT

NOT A FAN OF PLUMS? SUBSTITUTE THEM FOR THE SAM E AMOUNT OF BLUEBERRIES

FRUITY PEANUT FLAPJACK

TAKES 45 MINS, PLUS COOLING MAKES 12

300g jumbo oats 60g pumpkin seeds 60g sunflower seeds 30g desiccated coconut 60g plain flour 90g soft dried apricots, chopped 90g dried cranberries 200g butter 200g golden syrup 150g light muscovado sugar 125g peanut butter

1Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3. Combine the oats, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, coconut, flour, apricots and cranberries in a large bowl. 2 Gently melt the butter with the golden syrup in a pan, then add the sugar and peanut butter. Stir until well combined. 3 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together. 4 Spoon the mixture into a lined baking tin. Bake the flapjack for 20-25 mins, or until golden and just firm. Leave to cool in the tin. Cut into 12 bars to serve.

PLUM AND WHITE CHOCOLATE TRAY BAKE

TAKES 1 HR 10 MINS, PLUS COOLING MAKES 15

200g white chocolate 75g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 125g light muscovado sugar 3 eggs 175g self-raising flour 50g ricotta 65g caster sugar 1 egg yolk 1tsp vanilla extract 300g plums, stoned and cut into wedges

1Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. Grease and line the base and sides of a shallow 28x20cm tin. 2 Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. 3 In another bowl, beat together the muscovado sugar, eggs and flour to make a paste. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared tin. 4 Beat the ricotta with the caster sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Spoon into the tin. Use the end of a round-bladed knife to marble the layers together. Bake for 20 mins. 5 Lay the plums over the top. Bake for 25 mins. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into 15 squares.

SUPER SNACK