Perfect as a pre-drink snack, or to make for a book club. We love the flavour of roasted tomatoes, when combined with a little pesto and cream cheese, and mopped up with chunky bread; or gently piled onto some bruschetta or Melba toast. It certainly makes a very easy starter with great bursts of taste. We sometimes have this as our main meal, with the addition of some chunky crudités, and freshly baked bread.
Serves 4 – 6
- 1 punnet Rosa baby tomatoes
- 25 ml olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 5 ml Italian herbs, or garlic and herb mix
- 1 small lettuce, washed and shredded
- 1 x 250 g container cream cheese
- 80 – 100 ml basil or red pepper pesto
- 60 ml flaked almonds, toasted
- 30 ml finely chopped parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh basil
Method:
- Preheat oven to180ºC/160ºC fan/Gas mark 4.
- Place tomatoes into a small roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper and Italian or garlic herbs.
- Roast for 20 – 25 minutes.
- Arrange lettuce on a flat platter and place the unwrapped packet of cream cheese in the centre of the platter.
- Place roasted tomatoes in their juices around the cream cheese.
- Stir basil or red pepper pesto lightly and drizzle over the cheese.
- Next, sprinkle with some toasted almonds.
- Lastly, garnish the tomatoes with parsley, and a few fresh basil leaves.
- Serve with sliced French bread or ciabatta bread, bruschetta, Melba toast, or biscuits.
Variation:
- Add 60 g sun-dried tomatoes to the fresh tomatoes after completing step 3. This gives a different texture and flavour to the recipe.