Publications
Makes: 8 side servings
Preparation time: 1 hour
Oven temperature: 200°C
Cooking time: 30 minutes
• 400g puff pastry
TOMATO SAUCE
• 30ml olive oil
• 1 tin (400g) whole tomatoes, chopped
• 30ml tomato paste
• fresh thyme
• 10ml sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
TOP LAYER
• 2 red peppers, deseeded
• 3 red chillies, deseeded
• fresh thyme
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
• olive oil
• 400g small Roma and cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper to taste
1. Prepare tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh thyme, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Heat until boiling point, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes uncovered, until it becomes a very thick sauce. Preheat the oven.
2. Make the top layer: Arrange the peppers, chillies, thyme and garlic on a baking tray. Drip olive oil over and oven roast for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before skinning the peppers and chillies, then slicing them into neat strips.
3 Place greaseproof paper on the bottom of a springform tray then arrange the peppers, garlic, chillies and tomatoes on the bottom. Season with salt and black pepper. Spread the tomato sauce over and let it all stand to cool before covering with the puff pastry; press the sides of the dough down the side of the filling. Bake for about 30 minutes and leave to cool before tipping over on a plate.
TIP: The tomato juice will seep through when you turn it over but this simply adds to the flavour. Remember to turn it over onto a surface that can hold it.
WINE SUGGESTION: A full-flavoured sauvignon blanc or a light red wine is ideal with this dish.
