Garlicky roasted tomatoes, with feta on sourdough toast
Something quick, easy and packed with flavor for the weekend
We’re all eagerly waiting for tomato season to really kick in, aren’t we? Aren’t you? You can feel it coming—summer is practically in the air. I see you, summer, and I’m counting down the days.
So, until we can start grating those peak-season tomatoes to make Riganada from the island of Kefalonia, Strapatsada/Kagiana, or Dako from Crete, and finally taste a proper Horiatiki salad, we have to work with what we’ve got. And let’s not kid ourselves. Τhe tomatoes right now? Not exactly the best specimens. But we do have one powerful ally in the kitchen that can elevate them into something truly delicious. The oven.
Roasting is the answer when you’re craving that rich, sweet, umami-packed tomato flavor, and when those tomatoes are roasted in some exceptional Greek extra virgin olive oil, magic can happen. I might be a little biased (being Greek and all) but, well, I’m not.
I used San Marzanos, because I found them at the market and were too tempting to pass up, but any fleshy variety will do. Roma (plum) tomatoes are a worthy alternative and so are vine-ripened tomatoes; less meaty but still good. Greek extra virgin olive oil, a few fat cloves of garlic, a generous pinch of Greek wild dried oregano, sea salt and ground black pepper is all you need.
Roast them, turning them around once to ensure both sides get a long kiss from the scorching olive oil at the bottom of the pan and after about an hour, you’ll have the most juicy, meltingly soft and sweet garlicky tomatoes, ready to pile on toasted sourdough, topped with the best Greek feta you can find. And don’t forget to spoon over all those incredible juices from the pan. Those are gold!
Don’t stop there, though. Smash them a bit with a fork and add them on top of pasta or rice with lots of grated Kefalotyri or Parmigiano, drop them in a frying pan and mix with eggs to make the best scramble, or serve them as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.
Lunch, dinner, snack. Honestly, it fits every category, even breakfast if you’re up for it. I’m not. I have a five-year-old at home, mornings are chaos and I’m not waking up earlier than absolutely necessary.
Enjoy and happy weekend!
P.S. I have a couple more simple yet utterly satisfying recipes with tomatoes for when tomatoes aren’t quite in season yet coming your way. Stay tuned.
Garlicky roasted tomatoes, and sourdough toast with feta
Feel free to use more tomatoes. Just be sure to keep them in a single layer with space between each one so they roast evenly.
The quantities listed here are for six San Marzano tomatoes.
Yield: 6 servings on toast
Ingredients
6 large San Marzano or Roma (plum) tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
4-6 garlic cloves, depending on how garlicky you want your tomatoes to be, peeled and sliced in half if too big
60-80 ml extra virgin olive oil, or more if you feel like it
Good pinch of Greek wild dried oregano
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
to serve
Feta, preferably barrel-aged
Large sourdough slices, toasted
Greek wild dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).
In a large enough roasting tray to fit all the sliced tomatoes in one layer, add them skin side down together with the garlic cloves and pour the olive oil over them. Sprinkle with the oregano, sea salt and pepper and place in the lower rack of the preheated oven.
Roast them for about an hour or until meltingly soft.
Halfway through, turn them over, carefully. You don’t want them to fall apart.
To serve, place a couple of tomato halves onto each slice of toasted sourdough and add some of the garlic. Crumble the feta on top and spoon the tomato juices over the whole lot. Sprinkle with some oregano and pepper, and add salt if you think it’s necessary.
You can alternatively mash the garlic onto the toasted sourdough before adding the tomatoes on top.
Enjoy while still warm!
They keep great in the fridge for a couple of days in an airtight container. Reheat when needed.
