WARM SLOW-ROASTED TOMATOES WITH LABNA AND ZAATAR BREAD

Preparation time 20 mins plus overnight resting Cooking time 1 hour 20 mins Serves 4-6

400g plain pot-set yoghurt

30 large ripe cherry, roma cherry or

vine tomatoes, sliced in half

3 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cumin seeds

20 grinds black pepper

1 Tbsp sea-salt flakes

3 tsp caster sugar

100ml extra virgin oil, plus extra,

to drizzle

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses,

plus extra, to drizzle

120g unsalted butter, chopped Toasted pine nuts and fresh mint

leaves, to serve

ZAATAR PITA

4 large pita rounds 100ml olive oil

1 Tbsp sea-salt flakes 3 Tbsp zaatar

STEP 1 To make labna, put yoghurt in a muslin or a clean Chux in a sieve suspended over a bowl in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. The liquid will separate and you’ll end up with labna (a thickened yoghurt). Stir a little of the liquid back into labna for a dolloping consistency. Set aside.

STEP 2 Preheat oven to 140°C fan-forced (160°C conventional). Line an oven tray with baking paper.

STEP 3 Toss tomatoes in spices, salt, sugar and oil to coat well, then spread on prepared tray, cut side up. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven, move tomatoes closer together on tray, drizzle with pomegranate molasses while warm and set aside.

STEP 4 To make zaatar pita, increase oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Cut pita into triangles and split open. Brush inside with oil and sprinkle over salt and zaatar. Arrange on an oven tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until slightly golden at edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool (pita will crisp up as it cools). STEP 5 Put butter in a small pan and cook on low to medium heat until nut brown. Strain butter through a fine sieve, set aside and keep warm.

STEP 6 Spread labna on a platter and cover with tomatoes. Scatter over pine nuts and drizzle with warm butter, extra molasses and extra oil. Garnish with mint. Serve with pita.