MUTTI TOMATO, PANCETTA AND TRUFFLE JAM WITH PARMESAN PUFF PASTRY STICKS

By Paul Foster, Great British Chefs

mcith_peeled-tomatoes.pngCrispy, buttery pastry sticks flavoured with Parmesan are the perfect dippers for this seriously luxurious tomato jam, bolstered with rich pancetta and a generous dollop of black truffle paste.

Mutti Peeled Tomatoes are harvested at the height of the summer and are delicately peeled with steam, to capture all the flavor and scents of fresh tomatoes. Plump and firm, they are immersed in a creamy sauce. 

Available in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

Ingredients

•       50g of sunflower oil

•       100g of pancetta, finely chopped

•       1 banana shallot, finely diced

•       1 garlic clove, finely chopped

•       2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

•       400g of Mutti Pelati peeled tomatoes, (1 tin)

•       100g of light brown sugar

•       1 bay leaf

•       20g of black truffle paste

•       100g of puff pastry

•       30g of Parmesan

•       1 egg, beaten

•       salt

Method

•       Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and add the sunflower oil. Fry the pancetta for a few minutes until just beginning to crisp, then turn the heat down to low

•       Add the shallot, garlic and thyme, then cook gently for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Drain the tomatoes from the juice (reserving the liquid) and cut into quarters. Add the tomatoes to the pan along with the juice, bay leaf and sugar

•       Cook gently for around 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency

•       While the jam cooks, prepare the pastry sticks. Preheat an oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Roll out the puff pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then brush liberally with the egg and grate over the Parmesan

•       Cut the pastry into 1cm-wide strips and twist from both ends. Place the sticks on a non-stick baking tray (or a baking tray lined with baking paper) and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container until needed

•       Once the jam has reduced and thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the truffle paste. Season, then leave to cool before serving with the pastry sticks

By Recipes