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Ricotta & balsamic tart with heirloom tomatoes
Fresh, fabulous, flavours, need we say more?
Serves 6-8
• 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 30g unsalted butter
• 4 spring onions, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 100g ricotta
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1/2 cup (40g) finely grated pecorino
• 500g heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
1. Grease a 25cm loose-bottomed tart pan.
2. Cut one pastry sheet into thirds. Place the pastry strips along 3 edges of the full sheet, overlapping slightly, to make one large piece of pastry. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and gently press along the edges to join. Use to line the base and sides of the pan, trimming any excess. Prick base with a fork and chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
3. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line pastry case with baking paper and baking weights. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove the weights and paper, and return to the oven for a further 5-7 minutes until golden and dry. Remove from the oven and cool.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a frypan over medium heat, add spring onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden. Add balsamic and sugar, then cook, stirring, for a further 1 minute until sugar has dissolved and balsamic has reduced.
5. Transfer onion mixture to the pastry case and top with dollops of ricotta. Whisk eggs, cream and pecorino, then season and pour into the pastry shell.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling is just set. Stand in the pan for 10 minutes.
Transfer tart to a plate. Arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle with basil leaves.
7. Drizzle with oil and serve.
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the food dept.'s tomato passata
Have your own homemade fresh tomato sauce available well after the sweetest summer tomatoes have gone.
Makes 3L
• 5kg very ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 10 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
1. Place the tomato in a large saucepan or stockpot with the garlic and 2 teaspoons of salt.
2. Using kitchen string, tie herbs and bay leaves into a bundle, then add to the pan.
3. Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and become pulpy. Cool slightly.
4. Remove from the heat and discard the herb bundle. Pass the tomato mixture through a food mill (mouli) and return to a clean saucepan. (You can whiz the mixture in a food processor, then strain to remove the seeds and skin, but the passata will turn orange in colour – it will still taste great.)
5. Preheat the oven to 120ºC. Place six 500g preserving jars and lids on a baking tray, then place in the oven for 30 minutes to sterilise. Meanwhile, return the saucepan of passata to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened.
6. Ladle the hot passata into the hot jars, filling to the top, and seal with the lids.
7. To preserve the passsata, wrap the jars in newspaper and pack, standing up, into a large saucepan or stockpot. Fill the pan with water, making sure the jars are submerged, and place over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour to vacuum seal the jars, topping up with boiling water to ensure the jars are always submerged. Allow jars to cool completely in the water.
8. Once you’ve done this you can store the passata in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
food dept. fact: Opened jars of passata will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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Spaghetti with italian sausage, ligurian olives and oregano
If you have made friends with a flavoursome sausage, then you will be cooking this quick pasta every week. However if you are still looking for the perfect sausage, then go for an Italian, they really are very reliable in the kitchen.
Serves 4
• 500g thick Italian pork sausages
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
• 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine
• 3 cups (750ml) tomato passata (recipe above, or use store-bought)
• 2 tablespoons oregano leaves, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
• 1/2 cup Ligurian olives or other small, black olives
• 400g spaghetti
• Crumbled parmesan, to serve
1. Squeeze the sausage meat from casings and break up any lumps. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft and golden.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage meat. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Add the chilli flakes and fennel seeds, then cook for a further 1 minute or until fragrant.
4. Pour over the wine and allow to bubble until almost evaporated, then add the passata, oregano and olives. Season, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a pan of boiling, salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain.
5. To serve, divide spaghetti among 4 serving plates and top with the sauce.
Garnish with parmesan and extra oregano.
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Crispy white anchovy fillets with tomato & vincotto salsa
Little bites of salty goodiness plucked straight from the sea with a tangy tomato salsa.
Makes 40-45
• 200g marinated white anchovy fillets in oil
• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour, seasoned
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
• 4 cups (280g) fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• Sunflower oil, to deep-fry
• Tomato & vincotto salsa (recipe follows), to serve
1. Place the anchovies in a bowl of cold water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Coat anchovies in flour, shaking off any excess. Whisk together eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, parmesan and zest in a separate shallow bowl and season. Dip each anchovy first in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture, then repeat dipping again in the egg and breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking tray.
4. Preheat the oven to 100°C.
5. Heat 3cm oil in a large saucepan over medium-high
heat and heat to 190°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when oil is hot enough). In batches, carefully slip anchovies into the oil and deep-fry for 1-2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towel and keep warm in oven while you repeat.
6. Serve immediately with salsa.
food dept. fact: Marinated white anchovy fillets (from delis) have a more mild taste than regular anchovies.
Tomato & vincotto salsa
Makes 2 cups
• 6 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons vincotto or balsamic vinegar
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
food dept. fact: Vincotto is a condiment made from cooked grape must or figs and is available at delis and gourmet food shops.
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Slow-roast leg of lamb with tomato & garlic crust
This is the easiest dish to prepare in advance, pop it into the oven and 4 hours later you have a wonderful soft shredded lamb. The juicy tomatoes make a glorious rich sauce to pour over the lamb when serving. Accompainments such as our best ever roast potatoes and Egyptian carrot salad with pita, almonds and olives work well with lamb. They are both from TFD's underground food feature
Serves 4-6
• 2kg leg of lamb, trimmed
• 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated (unpeeled)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 11/2 cups (375ml) verjuice or white wine vinegar
• 500g kumatos, halved
• 500g vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• Handful fresh bay leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Place the lamb in a large flameproof roasting pan.
2. Peel 2 garlic cloves and crush. Combine with tomato paste and oil, then season and brush over lamb. Pour verjuice into the pan around the lamb. Cover pan with a sheet of baking paper, then cover with 2 sheets of foil, sealing the edges so the steam doesn’t escape during cooking. Place in the oven and roast for 4 hours.
3. Remove the foil and baking paper, then arrange the tomatoes, cut-side up, around the lamb. Sprinkle over the herbs, bay leaves and remaining garlic cloves. Drizzle tomatoes with oil and season.
4. Return the pan to the oven and roast, uncovered, for a further 1 hour or until the tomatoes have softened and the lamb is tender and falling off the bone.
5. Transfer the lamb and tomatoes to a plate and keep warm. Skim any fat from the juices in the roasting pan, then place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until reduced. Pull the lamb from the bone and serve with tomatoes, garlic and pan juices.
food dept. fact: Fresh bay leaves are available from selected greengrocers.Verjuice
is unripe grape juice and is found at delis and gourmet food shops.
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Tea-smoked tomato sorbet with parmesan crisps
You can also try a spoonful of this delicious sorbert on freshly shucked oysters.
Serves 6
• 500g vine-ripened tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 1/4 cup black tea leaves
• 1/4 cup (60g) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) white rice
• 2 tbs sherry or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoons vodka
• 11/2 cups (120g) finely grated parmesan
• 3 heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil and basil leaves, to serve
1. Score a cross in the base of the vine-ripened tomatoes and plunge into a bowl of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel.
2. Combine caster sugar and 1/2 cup (125ml) water in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set syrup aside.
3. Line a wok with foil. Combine the tea, brown sugar and rice in a small bowl, then pour into the wok. Sit a wire rack in the wok, then cover the wok with a lid and place over medium heat until you can smell and see smoke.
4. Place the peeled tomatoes on a plate, then sit on the rack. Cover the wok and smoke the tomatoes for 5 minutes.
5. Remove tomatoes from the wok and allow to cool, then pass through a food mill (mouli). (You can whiz the tomatoes in a food processor, then strain to remove the seeds and skin, but the sorbet will turn orange in colour – it will still taste great.)
Stir in the sugar syrup, vinegar and vodka, then season with salt. Chill for 30 minutes.
6. Place the chilled mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (Alternatively, pour mixture into a shallow container and freeze until frozen at the edges. Remove from freezer and beat with electric beaters. Pour into container and refreeze. Repeat 2 or 3 times.)
7. To make the parmesan crisps, preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place 1/4 cup (20g) parmesan on tray and shape into a 12cm round. Repeat with remaining parmesan to make 6 crisps. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden and bubbling. Cool on tray.
8. Serve scoops of sorbet with slices of tomato. Drizzle with oil and garnish with parmesan crisps and basil leaves.
the food dept would like to thank Moratis bros for supplying an abundant fresh supply of tomatoes and kumatoes.
