Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Cherry tomatoes yield saucy, sweet-tart topper
Roasting cherry tomatoes until they just start to collapse then removing them from the oven before their liquid evaporates yields a saucy delight, tasting somewhere between fresh and cooked and bursting with concentrated tomato flavor.
It’s a revelation that can serve as the highlight for a multitude of dishes. When I make a batch, I use them — along with a drizzle of their precious juices — as avocado toast and grain bowl toppers, spooned onto a spread of hummus and tossed into pasta salad, to name a few favorites.
This recipe reflects another way I love them: As the jewel-tone crown of a savory yogurt bowl. To give the tomatoes an extra layer of sweet-tart caramelization, I toss them with a coating of balsamic vinegar before their last 5 minutes of roasting. Then, once the tomatoes cool a bit — though they’re good warm or at room temperature — I spoon them, in their saucy glory, over a spread of Greek yogurt.
Topped with a crunchy sprinkle of toasted pine nuts (walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds would be nice, too) and fragrant ribbons of fresh basil, it is a dish that is the very definition of healthful lusciousness. For best results, be sure to buy cherry, not grape, tomatoes to make this, because cherry tomatoes will yield more of that lip-smacking liquid.
Savory Yogurt Bowl With Roasted Tomatoes
2 pints (about 22 ounces) cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons PLUS
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided use
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 cups plain Greek yogurt (low-fat or whole)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade right before serving
Position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425 degrees.
Place the tomatoes on a 9-inch-by-13-inch rimmed baking dish, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, season with the salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and begin to burst. Add the balsamic vinegar, toss to coat, and return to the oven for 5 additional minutes.
While the tomatoes are roasting, spread the pine nuts over a small rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant.
Let the tomatoes cool to room temperature. There should be a couple of tablespoons of liquid from the tomatoes in the pan. If the pan seems dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons water to loosen.
To serve, spread about 2/3 cup of the yogurt on the bottom of each serving bowl. Spoon about 2/3 cup of the tomatoes on top with some of their liquid, drizzle each with ½ teaspoon of the oil, then sprinkle with the pine nuts and basil, and season with more salt to taste, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 187 calories, 6 g protein, 15 g fat, 10 g carbohydrate (7 g sugar), 4 mg cholesterol, 115 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choice: 1.