(Serves four to six as a light main course, 10-12 as a starter)
- 1 kg large firm tomatoes, cut in half horizontally and seeds removed
- 10 small whole cloves of garlic (8 skinned, 2 with skins on)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2tsp salt
- 1/2tsp caster sugar
- 2 1/2tsp mixed Mediterranean dried herbs
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 5 medium eggs, separated
For the filling
- 200g full fat Philadelphia-style cheese
- 2-3 tbsp milk, as needed
- 150g cherry tomatoes, halved, seeds removed, and flesh diced
- 1/2 red chilli, seeds removed, very finely diced (optional)
- 1 1/2-2tbs chopped fresh dill
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place tomatoes cut side up on a foil-lined roasting tin. Put the 8 skinned whole cloves of garlic in some of the tomato cavities, one per cavity. Brush with olive oil.
Mix together the salt, sugar, mixed herbs and pepper and sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes. Roast for about 1 1/4 hours until they are shrivelled and slightly charred. Remove from oven and cool, uncovered.
Meanwhile, bake the two remaining cloves of garlic for about 15 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven and wrap in foil. Leave to cool.
When cold, remove tomatoes from foil and scrape the flesh and garlic cloves from the skins. Put tomato flesh and garlic cloves into a small processor and process until smooth. Alternatively, pass through a sieve.
There should be about six tablespoons of thick purée.
Turn oven up to 200°C. Beat in egg yolks. Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold into the tomato mixture. Season with a little salt and pepper, pour into a Swiss roll tin lined with baking paper and spread flat. Bake for 10-12 minutes until firm.
Turn out onto baking paper on a cooling rack. Cover with a damp tea towel. When cold, carefully peel off the piece of baking paper that the roulade has been cooked on.
For the filling, mash the cold, baked garlic and mix in with all filling ingredients, adding enough milk to soften the mixture slightly – enough to spread fairly easily. Season to taste. Having the long edge towards you, spread the filling over the roulade, leaving a 2cm border top and bottom. Carefully roll up from the bottom.
Nice served the next day when the flavours have developed.