A Fish Traybake belongs to the same family of Mediterranean cooking as the bold, olive-and-tomato pasta sauces that came out of Naples last century, built on the idea that a handful of pantry staples, cooked hard and fast, can carry a whole meal. Olives, garlic, tomato and a good glug of oil have done that job in Mediterranean kitchens for generations, long before anyone thought to put fish in the mix.
Ours brings hake into that same tomato-and-olive base, all cooked together on one tray with a proper amount of Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil stirred through, so the chilli builds through the sauce instead of sitting on top of it.
One tray, one oven, very little to wash up after. Here’s how we make it.
Fish Traybake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of Wilson's Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil in an ovenproof pan or roasting tray over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in the tinned tomatoes, olives, tomato paste and dried oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Pat the hake fillets dry and nestle them into the sauce, spooning a little sauce over the top of each fillet.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily.
- Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of Wilson's Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil and scatter over the fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
We Use Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil
A tomato-and-olive sauce this punchy needs heat that spreads evenly through it, and that’s exactly what Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil gives this traybake. Because the chilli compounds are already carried in the oil, they distribute through the tomatoes and olives as the tray cooks, rather than sitting in hot pockets the way fresh or dried chilli sometimes does.
It goes into the sauce base early, so it has time to cook through and mellow slightly before the fish goes in on top. That way the hake picks up warmth from underneath without ever sitting directly in raw chilli.
A final drizzle once it’s out of the oven brings the heat back up for anyone who wants it.
Our Tips
Cook the sauce down properly first – give the tomatoes and olives 15 minutes on the tray or in a pan before the fish goes on, so the sauce has body by the time it’s ready.
Pat the hake dry – a dry fillet browns properly on top instead of steaming under the grill.
Don’t overcook the fish – hake cooks fast, usually 10 to 12 minutes, so start checking early once it’s on the tray.
Season the sauce, not just the fish – olives and capers bring their own saltiness, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt.
Use one tray if you can – building the sauce and finishing the fish in the same dish means fewer pans and more flavour left behind in the tray.
Rest it for a minute before serving – the sauce settles and thickens slightly once it’s out of the oven.
How We Serve It
Straight from the tray to the table, with crusty bread alongside for mopping up the sauce. It needs almost nothing else, which is most of the appeal on a Thursday night when nobody has the energy for a second pot.
A pile of plain rice or some boiled baby potatoes under the fish turns it into a heartier plate if you want more on the table.
A green salad on the side is about as far as we take it. The tray is already doing most of the work.
More Ways to Use Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil
Once you’ve got a bottle of Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil open, it earns its place well beyond this tray.
A peri-peri mayo — it’s the finishing ingredient in our Peri Mayo, whisked in at the end for a glossy, spicy dip.
Jacket potato fillings — it carries the heat through the chicken filling in our 4 Brilliant Jacket Potato Fillings.
Tacos and nachos — a drizzle over the filling or the chips before the cheese goes on melts the heat right in.
Cheese boards — a small dish alongside crackers and cheddar gives guests something to dip into.
Braai marinades — whisked with lime and garlic, it makes a quick base for chicken or prawns before the coals are ready.
The Good Stuff About This Fish Traybake
Chilli-infused oils behave differently to dry or fresh chilli. Because the heat compounds are already drawn out into the oil, they spread evenly through whatever they’re cooked with rather than concentrating in hot pockets. That’s why a spoonful stirred into a sauce early on builds a rounded, background warmth rather than one sharp burst of heat in a single bite.
Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil is built for exactly that kind of everyday use, suited to tacos, nachos, cheese boards and marinades as much as it is to a tray of baked fish. It comes in 250ml and 1L bottles, with 6x250ml and 12x1L options if you’re stocking up.
Keep it in a cool, dark place, or store it in the fridge, and it’s ready whenever the next tray needs a bit of heat.
Ways to Change It Up
Swap the hake for kingklip or yellowtail – any firm white fish handles the tray the same way, adjust the cooking time to the thickness of the fillet.
Turn the heat down – use half the peri-peri oil and finish with a splash of Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead if you’re cooking for a milder palate.
Add capers – a small spoonful stirred into the sauce brings a briny sharpness that plays well against the olives.
Use prawns instead – they need far less time on the tray, so add them for the last 5 to 6 minutes only.
Bulk it out with vegetables – sliced peppers or courgette added to the sauce base turn this into more of a full meal on one tray.
Finish with fresh herbs – a scatter of chopped parsley just before serving lifts the whole tray.
Questions You Might Have
What’s the best fish for this Fish Traybake?
Hake is our first choice for its firm, mild flesh, but kingklip or yellowtail work just as well if that’s what’s fresh at the counter.
Can I use frozen fish?
Yes, as long as it’s fully thawed and patted dry first. Excess water on the fillet will thin out the sauce.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes. The tomato and olive base keeps well in the fridge for up to two days, ready to reheat and top with fish when you’re ready to eat.
Can I freeze this traybake?
The sauce freezes well on its own for up to three months. We wouldn’t freeze it with the fish already cooked through, as the texture suffers on reheating.
How spicy is this dish?
It builds a gentle, rounded heat rather than a sharp one. Add extra peri-peri oil at the table if you’d like more kick, or use less in the sauce for a milder version.
What can I serve alongside it?
Crusty bread for mopping up the sauce, or plain rice and a green salad if you’d like a heartier plate.
Where can I buy Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil?
It’s available to order directly from oliveoil.co.za and at leading retailers across South Africa.
Ready to Make This?
One tray, one bottle of peri-peri oil, and dinner’s sorted before the oven even finishes heating.
More From Our Kitchen
Peri Mayo — Snoek on the Braai — 4 Brilliant Jacket Potato Fillings — All Recipes
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