CRISP FILO TART WITH CHORIZO, SAFFRON-POACHED TOMATO AND PERSIAN FETA RECIPE

SERVES 4
PREP TIME 10 mins
COOK TIME 30 mins
INGREDIENTS 9
DIFFICULTY Capable Cook

Poaching tomatoes in saffron is such a beautiful way to prepare them - add Persian feta and the produce speaks for itself.

INGREDIENTS

8 vine-ripened baby roma tomatoes or large grape tomatoes
3 cups (750ml) vegetable stock
Pinch of saffron threads
1 (about 120g) good-quality chorizo sausage, peeled, thinly sliced lengthways
2 sheets fresh (not frozen) filo pastry
20g unsalted butter, melted
80g marinated Persian feta
2 ripe avocados
Baby salad leaves and olive oil, to serve

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 175°C.

2 Cut a small cross in the base of each tomato. Bring stock to the boil, then plunge tomatoes into stock for 10 seconds. Peel when cool enough to handle. Add saffron to the stock, return to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Return the stock to a simmer over medium heat and gently poach the tomatoes for a further 10 minutes.

3 Place chorizo slices on a non-stick baking tray. Lightly grease 4 holes of a non-stick muffin pan.

4 Brush one sheet of pastry with melted butter and lay the remaining sheet directly on top. Cut pastry into twelve 10cm squares and lightly brush each with butter. Layer three squares into a star shape and place into a hole. Repeat with remaining pastry. Place the pastry and chorizo in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp and the fat has rendered from the chorizo. Gently press the bases of the pastry cases down. Cut the chorizo slices into strips.

5 Crumble the feta into the pastry cases. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place 2 in each case. Scatter with chorizo. Slice the avocados and fan out on serving plates, then place tarts on top. Scatter with a few salad leaves, drizzle with a little oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.