Name: Roast tomato soup with trahanas, Greek-style yoghurt and basil
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 kg ripe vine-ripened tomatoes, halved; 130 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 2 Spanish onions, thinly sliced; 3 thyme sprigs; 1 tbsp white sugar, plus extra for seasoning; 260 gm sheep’s milk yoghurt (see note) (1 cup); 1 small kohlrabi (about 180 gm), coarsely grated; ½ cup basil, thinly sliced (loosely packed); 50 gm unsalted butter; 195 gm trahanas (see note) (1 cup); Vegetable stock; 100 ml white wine; 1 carrot, onion and ripe vine-ripened tomato, coarsely chopped; ½ celery stalk, coarsely chopped; ½ head of garlic, halved; 1 each fresh thyme sprig and bay leaf; 1 tsp black peppercorns

Roast tomato soup with trahanas, Greek-style yoghurt and basil

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for roast tomato soup with trahanas, Greek-style yoghurt and basil by Alpha restaurant in Sydney.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

35M

Cook

1H 45M

Total

2H 20M

“Trahanas is a sour-flavoured tiny pebble-shaped pasta made with buttermilk that is generally eaten throughout Greece for breakfast,” says Conistis.

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 kg ripe vine-ripened tomatoes, halved

130 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 Spanish onions, thinly sliced

3 thyme sprigs

1 tbsp white sugar, plus extra for seasoning

260 gm sheep’s milk yoghurt (see note) (1 cup)

1 small kohlrabi (about 180 gm), coarsely grated

½ cup basil, thinly sliced (loosely packed)

50 gm unsalted butter

195 gm trahanas (see note) (1 cup)

Vegetable stock

100 ml white wine

1 carrot, onion and ripe vine-ripened tomato, coarsely chopped

½ celery stalk, coarsely chopped

½ head of garlic, halved

1 each fresh thyme sprig and bay leaf

1 tsp black peppercorns

Method

Main

1.For vegetable stock, place ingredients and 1.5 litres water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer until well flavoured (30 minutes). Strain (discard solids) and set aside.

2.Blanch 3 garlic cloves until just tender (1-2 minutes) and set aside.

3.Preheat oven to 180C. Place tomatoes in a single layer in an oven dish, drizzle with 100ml oil, scatter onion, thyme and blanched garlic over and season with salt, pepper and a little sugar. Roast until tender and lightly browned (1 hour), then push through a sieve (discard skins and solids).

4.Meanwhile, combine yoghurt, kohlrabi, basil, remaining oil and remaining garlic in a bowl, season to taste and refrigerate for flavours to combine (1 hour).

5.Bring 1 litre vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan. Melt butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat, add trahanas and stir occasionally for 2 minutes. Pour stock over and simmer until trahanas is tender (10-12 minutes). Add tomato liquid and sugar, return to the simmer and season to taste. Serve soup hot or cold with a large dollop of yoghurt and a drizzle of oil.

Note Trahanas and sheep’s-milk yoghurt are available from select Greek delicatessens.
Drink Suggestion: 2012 Driopi, Agiorgitiko Rosé, Peloponnese, Greece. Drink suggestion by Vanessa Chant
Notes