Tomatoes naturally contain the flavour enhancing compound monosodium glutamate, or MSG. As tomatoes cook slowly, their natural sugars concentrate and their savoury flavour becomes even more intense. It is the same reason sun-dried tomatoes and long-simmered tomato sauces have such a rich, lip-smacking depth of flavour. Paired with golden sautéed mushrooms, which are also naturally rich in umami, this simple toast delivers plenty of savoury satisfaction using just a handful of seasonal ingredients. Serve it for a leisurely lunch, a light supper or cut into smaller pieces to share as a starter.Add a few poached free-range eggs to boost the protein content.
250g ripe Irish tomatoes, halved if small or cut into wedges if large
200g mushrooms, sliced
2 thick slices of sourdough bread
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Irish honey (optional)
A small handful of fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and black pepper to season
50g cais na tire (optional)
Heat the oven to 170°C.
Place the tomatoes into a small roasting dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, half the thyme, a pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. If your tomatoes are a little sharp, drizzle over the honey. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until they have softened and collapsed into a rich, jammy sauce.
When the tomatoes are almost ready, heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them undisturbed for a few minutes so they can colour well before stirring. Continue cooking until they are deeply golden and any liquid has evaporated.
Finely grate one garlic clove into the mushrooms and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir through the remaining thyme and remove from the heat. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Toast the sourdough until crisp and rub each slice with the remaining garlic clove while still warm.
Spoon the jammy tomatoes over the toast, followed by the sautéed mushrooms. Scatter with parsley and, if using, finish with a little grated cheddar or crumbled goat’s cheese.
Serve straight away while the toast is still crisp.
