Charred tomatoes with cold yoghurt (Ottolenghi)

Ottolenghi's Hot charred tomatoes with cold yoghurt & hummus & flatbreads

This post has been updated as of September 2021

For the perfect end of summer meal, we recently made this charred tomato dish from Ottolenghi’s cookbook, Simple*.

We made flatbreads from my book and some hummus to have with the tomato dish & some grilled vegetables too.

If you’re familiar with Ottolenghi’s recipes, you know that sometimes they can sometimes contain quite a few ingredients and/or steps. His new book features recipes which are more pared back but still full of flavour – ideal for vegetarian weeknight meals and easy dinner-party dishes (many of which need little prep!).

In fact, when visiting my brother a few weeks ago, he cooked up 3 recipes from Simple, all of which he made within an hour. So easy!

Ottolenghi's Hot charred tomatoes with cold yoghurt from the cookbook Simple

This dish is the perfect way to say goodbye to the tomatoes of the summer time.

You roast and grill them so they blacken becoming boiling hot, charred tomatoes which are poured over a bed of cold yoghurt. It sounds simple and it is, but it’s one of those dishes that once you make it you’ll probably end up making it again and again to have as a starter or part of a mezze for dinner as we did here.

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Ottolenghi Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

Charred Tomatoes with Cold Yoghurt (Ottolenghi)

A creamy cooling yoghurt topped with hot, roasted herby tomatoes. Delicious as a side dish or as part of a mezze platter – recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi's 'Simple' cookbook.
4.48 from 95 votes
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Course: Salads & Sides
Keywords: dip, lemon cake, oregano, Ottolenghi, side, thyme, tomatoes, yoghurt
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 350 g (12.5 oz) cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ¾ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp light brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves , peeled and finely sliced
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 3 sprigs fresh oregano
  • 1 lemon – , zest of one half shaved off in 3 wide strips, the other half grated
  • salt and black pepper
  • 250 g (9 oz) fridge-cold extra-thick Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tsp urfa chilli flakes , or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) fan / 220°C (450°F) non-fan.
  • Put the tomatoes in a rimmed baking dish that’s just large enough to accommodate them all snugly. Add the oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon zest strips, a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Toss together with your hands. 
    350 g (12.5 oz) cherry tomatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp light brown sugar, 3 garlic cloves, 3 sprigs thyme, 3 sprigs fresh oregano, 1 lemon –, salt and black pepper
  • Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling, then turn the oven to the grill setting and grill for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.
  • While the tomatoes are roasting, mix the yoghurt with the grated lemon zest and 1/4 tsp salt, then return to the fridge.
    250 g (9 oz) fridge-cold extra-thick Greek yoghurt, 1 lemon –
  • Once the tomatoes are ready, spread out the cold yoghurt on a large plate or shallow, wide bowl. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, as well as the pan juices, lemon peel, garlic and herbs, and finish with the remaining oregano and chilli. Serve at once with some flatbreads or sourdough. 
    3 sprigs fresh oregano, 1 tsp urfa chilli flakes

Notes

Extracted from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Press, £25)
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it went! Mention @izyhossack or tag #topwithcinnamon!

16 thoughts on “Charred tomatoes with cold yoghurt (Ottolenghi)”

  1. Beautiful and appetizing. Love the idea of putting the red chilli flakes. Had to look up what urfa chilli flakes were Apparently it comes Turkey. Interesting.

  2. One of the best thing about this dish is that it lies in the exciting contrast between the hot, juicy tomatoes and fridge-cold yoghurt. It looks so delicious.

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