Puttanesca fish tray bake – RecipeTin Eats

May 14, 2025

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Baked fish dinners will be so uninteresting. Not this one! Suppose – spaghetti puttanesca flavours within the type of a one pan fish dinner. It’s a Puttanesca fish tray bake! Good for you, straightforward to make, fabulously scrumptious.

No extra uninteresting baked fish dinners!

It is a dinner impressed by pasta puttanesca – minus the spaghetti, a number of pots and range splatter. The sauce has all of the logos – tomato, olives, capers, even anchovies (!) – nevertheless it’s baked on one tray with fish, potatoes to fill it out and fennel for a grown up contact.

It’s a whole meal, vibrant, good for you, vibrant, and something however boring. I throw this final line in as a result of I spent my twenties satisfied fish couldn’t be tasty until it had been seared or fried. This recipe would’ve modified my thoughts!

Components you want for this tray bake dinner

Right here’s what you want to make this Puttanesca fish tray bake.

White fish fillets

I exploit barramundi on this recipe. The meaty and juicy flesh makes it excellent for the assertive Mediterranean flavour of the puttanesca-ish sauce, and the fillets are thick sufficient to make them appropriate for cooking within the oven.

However any agency, white fish fillets about 2.5 – 3 cm/1″ thick will work a deal with right here. See under for an inventory.

Appropriate fish for this recipe FAQ

for the Puttanesca SAUCE

Right here’s what you want for the puttanesca-ish half – many of the components utilized in puttanesca plus potatoes to bulk it out and fennel for flavour and a contact of grown-up sweetness (it’s actually good, urge you to not skip it!).

Anchovies – Addressing this proper up entrance as a result of I do know it’s a divisive ingredient! However they actually do add savouriness, and it’s a key ingredient in Puttanesca. Consider it as the higher salt. However, for those who’re very anti-anchovies, you possibly can both cut back to 1 anchovy or substitute with 1 teaspoon fish sauce or 1/4 tsp additional cooking salt / kosher salt.
Fennel – I’ve stated it earlier than and I’ll say it once more, it’s such an under-utilised vegetable! It has refined aniseed flavour which provides freshness and curiosity to dishes, it’s economical many of the 12 months spherical and straightforward to chop. It deserves far more love in on a regular basis cooking!
Child capers and kalamata olives – Pretty briny pops that add tang and salt into the sauce because it bakes. I exploit child capers as a result of they’re smaller – if utilizing common capers, simply give them a tough chop. And I favor kalamata over common black olives as they’re softer and have higher flavour.
Child potatoes – Or common potatoes, peeled, and lower. Any sort of potato is ok right here.
Canned tomato – That is the first ingredient that creates the sauce for this dish.
Cherry or grape tomatoes – These add pops of juicy bursts within the sauce. They cook dinner by means of sufficient so they’re delicate however are nonetheless holding collectively once they come out of the oven.
Garlic – In fact it’s in. 3 massive cloves!
Oregano – For background flavour with out competing with all the opposite flavours.
Chilli flakes – Additionally referred to as crimson pepper flakes, the recipe requires 1/2 teaspoon which is barely sufficient for a light stage of spiciness. Be at liberty to omit – or add extra! You may as well add your favorite chilli sauce when consuming, if you would like extra warmth.
Basil (non-compulsory!) – Sure, for those who’ve obtained a basil bush in your yard, it’s a nice end for this dish. However don’t let the absence of basil maintain you again from making this! Glorious substitutes – parsley (any variety), chives (only a mild sprinkle).

How you can make Puttanesca fish tray bake dinner

I do know most straightforward tray bake dinners name for all the pieces to enter the oven without delay, however this one is a 3-stage bake: potatoes first, then the puttanesca sauce, and eventually the fish (we don’t wish to overcook it!). It truly flows properly – you leisurely prep the subsequent part whereas the final one bakes, and have time to place your toes up with a glass of wine in between.

Potatoes first – Toss the potatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Then pop within the oven to provide them a 20 minute head begin.
Puttanesca sauce (stew?) subsequent – Combine up the puttanesca sauce components (the canned tomato, veg, dried oregano, olives, capers and anchovies). Then add it to the tray and bake for one more 10 minutes. Observe: the combination doesn’t look very saucy however as soon as baked and mixed with the juices from the fish, you’ll have loads of sauce.

Prime with fish – Then put the fish on prime, drizzle all the pieces with olive oil and bake for one more quarter-hour or till the fish flakes simply.
Serve – Sprinkle with basil (if utilizing) and the reserved fennel fronds. And that’s it – dinner’s up!

Issues of serving

I at all times really feel like thick semi-stewy form of dishes like this are crying out for crusty bread which you could stuff, and use for dunking and mopping, or crispy crostini for scooping and piling. Although truly, the potato on this dish fills it out so even with out bread, the portion servings are respectable. Let’s say with out bread it’s a smart serving dimension. With bread, it’s a beneficiant serving dimension.

You can additionally improve the quantity of potato on this to fill it out extra and serve with out bread. Or serve it over one other starchy automobile of alternative – pasta, couscous (plain – no nuts, herbs, fruit or lemon), or rice (plain, or attempt garlic rice!).

So many potentialities…..share your ideas! – Nagi x

Watch how you can make it

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