I had six cherry tomato plants in the garden which produced more tomatoes than I knew what to do with. They were supposed to reach a maximum height of 6o inches but in fact, they grew over the top of the fence which is 8 feet tall. They produced so many tomatoes that the ground below them is constantly littered and still I get a colander full each day.
The regular tomato plants, all picked out deliberately and carefully with much thought about their different attributes, (Early Girls, Beef Steaks, and a heritage variety supposed to be wonderful for cooking) all turned out to be exactly the same kind. They too produced prolifically and the plants are still hanging with green tomatoes.
For the past two months, I’ve made a concerted effort to eat, cook, and give away tomatoes. I’ve made tomato sandwiches, spaghetti sauce for winter, and my own oven-dried tomatoes. I’ve experimented with a whole load of recipes. This one though, baked cherry tomatoes and feta, is a favourite.
The first time I made it I served it for a light weeknight supper with just olive and rosemary sourdough bread. It would make a fantastic bruschetta topping and I imagine it would be amazing on a pizza crust too. This weekend I served it with salmon. It’s wonderfully and intensely flavourful and a perfect way to serve up cherry tomatoes, even if you’re not drowning in them.
Baked Cherry Tomatoes and Feta
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or not
200 grams feta, crumbled
10 spicy green olives, or black olives, or whatever olives are on hand, pitted
a handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a one-litre ovenproof dish.
Sauté the onion in the olive oil until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another minute or two. Dump in the cherry tomatoes, olives, chili flakes and crumbled feta. Transfer to an oven dish. Sprinkle with basil and black pepper. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot with crusty bread, etc.
Oh my goodness, this sounds deliicious….. cannot wait to try this one!
Keep em coning Lindy, and I may never eat in a restaurant anytime soon…..
THANKS Jennifer! This is so seriously tasty. Think you’d love it. And I have surplus tomatoes….!
Sounds delicious, my mouth is watering 🙂
Candy – I LOVE your blog! It’s beautiful – one of my favourites. Thank you for finding me so that I could find you. What a treat to discover. Lindy
What a nice thing to write 🙂 Thank you very much – I was very lucky to find your blog in the first place.
Yummy – I do it on the bar-b-que (using tin foil) and grill egg plant alongside too. Then use it to make sandwiches, smear on toasted baguette.
that does sound yummy Nancy – I love eggplant. I’m coming to your place for dinner!
enjoying your blog…very creative food and tempting to try…
thank you and I’m looking forward to reading yours too!
Hi Lindy, Love your blog! Where did you buy your tomato plants? I had a few heritage plants that I bought at Tara’s and they were not prolific at all!
Thanks Wendy – you’re so sweet. They were from the place up Hwy #15 – whose name escapes me – do you know the one? North of the 401. I still have tomatoes – it’s crazy!