Charred Tomatoes with Yoghurt
A fantastic Ottolenghi recipe that works as a starter or light lunch. A definite favourite in our house and a great use of all the tomatoes at the moment!
Ingredients:
- 350g Cherry tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ¾ Tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ Tsp Light brown Sugar
- 3 Cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- 3 Thyme sprigs
- 5 Fresh sprigs of oregano, 3 left whole and the rest picked
- 1 Lemon, finely shave one half so you have 3 strips and finely grate the other half so you have 1 tsp of zest
- 350g Extra thick Greek-style yoghurt
- ½ Tsp Chilli flakes
- Salt and Pepper
Method
- Mix the tomatoes, olive oil, cumin seeds, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, half a teaspoon of flaked sea salt and a grind of pepper in a bowl then pop them into a baking dish just big enough to fit the tomatoes closely together and roast them for around 20 minutes or until they are starting to blister and the liquid is bubbling.
- Once this has happened turn the oven to the grill setting and grill the tomatoes until they start to blacken on the top, approximately 5-8 minutes.
- While the tomatoes are roasting in the oven mix the cold yoghurt with the grated lemon zest and a ¼ tsp of salt and then put it back in the fridge to stay really cold until you are ready to serve.
- To serve spread the cold yoghurt into a wide shallow bowl making a dip in the middle with the back of the spoon. Spoon over the hot charred tomatoes along with the juices, garlic, lemon skin and herbs and finish off with the picked oregano leaves and chilli flakes and a side of bread!
Helen Edwardson