10 Fresh Ways With Tomatoes

Preheat your oven to 140°C. Use the tip of a sharp knife to pierce a hole in each tomato. Tumble them into a snug ovenproof dish.

Peel the garlic cloves and nestle them in among the tomatoes with the thyme sprigs. Sprinkle over the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes. Tuck in a strip of fresh lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil over the tomatoes. It should just about cover the tomatoes. Slide into the oven and gently bake for an hour until the tomatoes are soft and collapsing. They will need to cool a little before you serve them and will have an even richer flavour if you make them the day before.

While the tomatoes bake, drain the burrata and tear it into a bowl. Add the Greek-style yogurt and a pinch of salt. Lightly whip till combined.

Spoon the whipped burrata over a plate. When the tomatoes are ready, use a slotted spoon to scoop up the tomatoes and garlic and use them to top the burrata. Discard the thyme sprigs and lemon zest. Drizzle over a little of the flavoured olive oil and a little honey.

Garnish the tomatoes and burrata with extra thyme leaves. Serve with toasted ciabatta for scooping and dipping.

An hour before you want to make the hasselback tomatoes, drain the mozzarella and pop them in a ziplock bag. Freeze for another hour. This makes the mozzarella easier to thinly slice but you can skip this step, if you like.

Heat your oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Brush the sourdough slices with a little olive oil on both sides. Place them in a roasting tin. Bake in the oven for ten minutes or till crisp. If the bread is ready before you've finished preparing the tomatoes, take it out of the oven and set aside.

Use a small, sharp knife to cut slices into the tomatoes, approximately 1cm apart. Only cut three-quarters of the way through the tomatoes, leaving a solid base. Rinse the capers and finely chop them. Drain the anchovy fillets and finely chop them. Peel the garlic clove. Take the mozzarella out of the freeze and thinly slice it. Halve or quarter the slices, so you have small half-moons.

Push a little mozzarella into the cuts in the tomato. Rub the garlic clove over the toasted bread to flavour it. Pop the bread back in the tin. Top each slice with a teaspoon of tapenade, spreading it over the bread. Sprinkle the capers and anchovies over the top. Pop 1-2 tomatoes on top of each slice. Drizzle over a little olive oil and season with pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or till the tomatoes are tender and cooked through and the cheese has melted.

Meanwhile, finely chop a handful of flat leaf parsley leaves. Finely grate the parmesan.

When the tomatoes are ready, take them out of the oven. Sprinkle over the parsley and cheese and serve.

Heat the oil in a paella pan, or another wide, thin-bottomed pan, on a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for around 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers, seasoning, paprika and wine. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes have broken down a little and the peppers have softened.

Mix the rice into the tomato and red pepper mixture. Add the saffron and its soaking liquid and 500ml of the stock.

Simmer on a medium-low heat without stirring for 15-20 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. If the rice looks dry, top it up with a bit more stock so that there is a thin layer of liquid on top of the rice.

While the paella is simmering, char the tomato slices and artichoke on a heated and lightly oiled grilling pan. Season and set aside.

Cover the paella pan with a tight-fitting lid or kitchen foil, turn the heat off and allow the rice to rest for 10-15 minutes. It will finish cooking in its own steam.

Top with the charred tomatoes and artichokes, olives and chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a good grind of black pepper.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (Fan).

Add your halved potatoes to a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, add thyme, crushed garlic, paprika and salt and mix until the potatoes are completely covered.

Roast for 30 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes, onion and lentils to the same tray and mix to combine. Put in the oven to roast for a further 15 minutes.

If you are making your own pesto, make it during this time.

Combine either homemade or shop-bought pesto with coconut yogurt to create a thick creamy pesto yoghurt.

Dollop the pesto yoghurt over your tray and sprinkle on some chopped fresh basil. Serve directly from the tray.

Grate the tomatoes a bowl. Place in a sieve over another bowl to catch the juice. The juice could be used in another recipe instead of vegetable stock, or you could chill it and drink it.

Mix the olive oil, oregano and salt into the tomato pulp.

Toast the bread and rub with the cut side of the garlic clove.

Top with the tomato mixture and add a little extra olive oil and salt, if you like.

Tear the ciabatta into bite-size pieces and leave in a warm place for around 30 minutes to help dry it out.

Place the chopped tomatoes in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the capers, onion, ciabatta and anchovies, if using. Toss the mixture together with your hands, then stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar and the extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, vinegar or oil, if required.

Stir in torn basil leaves and serve. Delicious with barbecued meats or roast chicken.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Toss the pita pieces with the olive oil and seasoning on a medium baking tray. Cook for 8-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.

In a medium bowl, toss half of the cooked pita pieces with the tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, onion, Little Gem, and half of the dressing.

Lay the rocket on a serving platter and cover evenly with the dressed salad ingredients. Arrange the remaining pita pieces over the salad and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle the parsley and mint over the dish and top with the sumac.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and capers. Spread the tomato and caper mixture evenly onto the prepared baking tray. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast the tomatoes in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until they are soft and caramelised.

While the tomatoes are roasting prepare the puff pastry. Roll out and cut into 6 rectangles.

Once the tomatoes are roasted, remove from the oven and cool slightly. Arrange the roasted tomatoes and capers in 6 sections on the baking tray in a single layer.

Carefully place the rolled-out puff pastry on top of the tomatoes, tucking in the edges around the sides. Crimp the pastry sides with a fork.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.

Once baked, remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.

To make the pastry, put the flours, salt and butter cubes in a food processor and pulse until they form coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the water a tablespoon at a time and pulse until the dough comes together, you may not need it all, you may need a little more.

Tip the dough out onto a floured surface, shape into a ball and flatten it into a thick disk. Wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large circle, the size of a large dinner plate. Transfer the dough to a large baking sheet, lined with baking parchment.

Spread an even layer of mustard/tapenade/chilli jam onto the crust, leaving a 5cm border all around. Cover with a thick layer of ricotta cheese, then lay the tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with garlic and thyme.

Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, overlapping the dough as necessary. Press gently to seal the edges.

Brush the edges with the beaten egg, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the tomatoes cooked through.

Place all gazpacho ingredients in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix everything together, pressing down firmly to squeeze out the juices. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or preferably overnight.

Put the mixture into a blender and blitz until smooth. Check the consistency, adding more olive oil if the soup is too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate again until thoroughly chilled.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (Fan). Make the croutes by thinly slicing the baguette. Brush the slices with olive oil and sprinkle grated manchego or parmesan on top. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

To serve, taste the gazpacho for a final time and adjust seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle with some chopped watercress, drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve with the croutes on the side.