For years I shared an apartment in Greece with my friend Sarah. If the walls could talk, they would have stories about the late-night conversations we had. We cooked, laughed, gossiped and stayed up far too late watching whatever TV series we were hooked on at the time. One thing I learned quickly was that tackling worries at night is rarely helpful.
A typical late-night spiral went something like this: Me: “Oh no, I have to go to the tax office tomorrow before work. I’ll be tired and there’ll be a long queue — I’ll be late.” Sarah: “It’ll be fine.” Me: “No, everyone will be pushing and I might not have the right paperwork. I’ll have to go back and that’ll be awful.” By morning the panic had usually blown over and the problem seemed much smaller. I still sometimes react the same way, so I now try to avoid dealing with tricky things when I’m exhausted.
A few days ago I ignored that rule and tried making veggie burgers when I was tired. They didn’t turn out as I imagined, and I felt frustrated about the ingredients I’d carried home and the time I’d spent. Later, Mr. Scrummy and I went for a walk and, still tired, I started to worry aloud about recipes, missing ingredients and the small inconveniences of daily life. Everything felt disproportionally bad.
At that point I decided to calm down and make something simple and reliable: slow-roasted tomato and ricotta bruschetta. The recipe is barely adapted from a recent issue of a UK food magazine I often turn to when I need inspiration. It’s forgiving, requires few appliances and works well in any kitchen.
The method is simple: toss a mix of baby tomatoes in olive oil with crushed garlic, crushed fennel seeds and a little sugar, then slow-roast them until sweet and sticky. Char-grill slices of crusty bread, spread them with lemony ricotta, top with the roasted tomatoes and their juices, finish with fresh basil, a grind of salt and black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s one of those small, intensely satisfying snacks—comforting and bright at the same time.
How do you react when things don’t go according to plan? Do you get anxious like I sometimes do, especially when tired, or do you take setbacks in stride? If you’re the calm type, I’d love to learn your tricks.
slow-roasted tomato & ricotta bruschetta
Ingredients
- 10 ounces mixed baby tomatoes (different colours if possible)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 4 slices fresh crusty bread (sourdough works well)
- fresh basil, to serve
- salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Toss the tomatoes with the oil, garlic and crushed fennel seeds and sugar, then spread them on the tray and bake for 1 hour, until golden and sticky.
- While the tomatoes roast, mix the lemon zest into the ricotta. When the tomatoes are ready, set them aside to cool slightly and char-grill the bread on both sides on a hot griddle or frying pan.
- Spread each toast with the lemony ricotta, spoon over the roasted tomatoes and their juices, scatter with basil leaves, season with salt and pepper and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Barely adapted from a slow-roast confit tomato and ricotta crostini recipe in a UK food magazine (June 2014 edition). You can swap ricotta for goat’s cheese or use a good quality pesto on the toasts for a dairy-free option.
Nutrition
Calories: 234 kcal, Carbohydrates: 18 g, Protein: 8 g, Fat: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Sodium: 192 mg. (Approximate per serving.)
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