TV Chef Aisling Larkin joined David McCullagh on RTÉ Radio 1 to share her tips for making no-fuss dinners. Listen back above.
These one-pan wonders take minimal effort - and require little washing up - making them perfect for dark and dreary winter evenings.
Allowing all of your ingredients to merge together in one pan means that you need to pick a 'theme' when it comes to your flavours.
Whether you want a Mediterranean or Asian dish, the spices and herbs you choose will help your ingredients along, bringing together a particular flavour combination.
Oregano, lemon and garlic will lend themselves to Greek food, while za'atar or harissa will bring a Middle Eastern dish together. For Irish dinners, Larkin suggests a sprinkling of rosemary, oregano and thyme.
How to layer your traybake
1. Oil
The first step to a good tray bake is to pour three to four tablespoons of oil on your roasting tray. Don't go wasting your good olive oil, says Larkin, opt for rapeseed oil or vegetable oil instead.
Pop the tray into a pre-heated oven at about 200°C, and heat up the oil for five to seven minutes, but be careful not to leave it in any longer than that.
The oil will be very hot, so be mindful when taking the tray out. While "sizzling hot", build your layers of meat and vegetables.
2. Meat
If using chicken thighs, for example, keep the skin on and season with a bit of salt and oregano. Put it skin-side down onto the tray and listen out for the crackle: "That's your first hit of flavour going into that pan".
3. Hard veggies & herbs
Meat should be followed by hard vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and parsnips. They need to be in early to give them time to soften and sweeten.
Toss the veggies in your seasonings or spices (e.g. lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, oregano, etc) in a bowl and then place them on the tray, or skip the bowl and give them a shake up in the tray.
Pop the tray back in the oven at a high heat of 200°C - 220°C for 10-15 minutes.
Next, turn the heat down to 160°C-180°C. For traybakes that include meat on the bone (chicken thighs, spatchcock chicken, etc), you'll cook the dish for about 45 minutes.
4. Soft veggies & extras
At the 30-minute mark of cooking, add your soft veggies (cherry tomatoes, peppers, leeks, etc).
The final burst of flavour should come from a sharp and light addition like olives. Larkin says that you need something with a bit of brine or something that has been pickled to give the dish a lift.
Ensure that all the food is well spread out over the tray so that it can cook evenly.
For more tips and delicious recipe ideas, listen back to the full interview above.
