Tomato carpaccio with basil dressing and roasted feta recipe by Flora Shedden

The beautiful Flora Shedden tomato carpaccio recipe is perfect for summer. Wonderfully fresh British tomatoes are accompanied by the lively tang of citrus juices and feta. Can be served as a main or side.

Serves 4 (or 6 as a side)

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients

250g feta

Extra virgin olive oil

Small bunch of fresh herbs (I used thyme, marjoram and rosemary)

Pepper, pinch of salt, pinch of sugar

30g basil

2 small cloves of garlic

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

1 small shallot

50g white wine vinegar

50g mixed olives

1kg heritage tomatoes (mix of colours and size is best)

 Method

Start with the feta.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Place the feta in a small roasting tray and drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Cover with fresh herbs and roast for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and sizzling. Set aside to firm up.

For the pickled shallots, half the shallot then very finely slice.

Place in a small bowl and add the vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix together then set aside.

For the basil dressing, peel the garlic and bash the cloves in a pestle and mortar. A small pinch of salt helps break the garlic down.

Roughly chop the basil and add to the mortar. Bash again to break down as much as possible.

Once well combined, add the lemon juice then a good amount of olive to form a spoonable dressing. Season to taste.

To assemble the carpaccio, finely slice the tomatoes and arrange half over your serving platter.

Spoon over half of the dressing and half of the shallots (but not the excess vinegar).

Crumble over half of the roasted feta and spoon over some of the oil it was cooking in. Tear up half of the olives and scatter on top as well. Now repeat the same process for a second layer.

Finish with any excess herbs to garnish.

Best served with lots of bread for mopping up the juices and ideally within a few hours of assembling.