Goats Cheese and Tomato Gratin – Sharing Lunch / Starter

I have to say this is completely delicious and very easy to make from just a few ingredients. Leave it in the gratin dish and serve with crusty or flat breads for dipping in.

(This serves two, scale up as required.)
Tomato Sauce:
• 2 Banana Shallots, finely chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 200ml Passata
• 12 – 15 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
• 4 Anchovy Fillets, drained
• Fresh Bouquet Garni – Rosemary, Thyme and Bay leaves tied with string – or a good sprinkle of Herbes de Provence
• Olive Oil and Black Pepper
Gratin:
• Half of a Lily Goats Cheese (or about 120g of good soft Goats Cheese), thickly sliced then halved
• Handful of your favourite olives, sliced
• A Small – Medium Gratin Dish (about 18cm diameter)
• Bread to serve

Method:
Put a large slug of Olive Oil in a medium pan and heat gently; add the onion and garlic with the bouquet garni (if using dried herbs, leave those until later). Cook until this onion is soft and starting to turn colour then add the anchovies passata and chopped tomatoes, (if using dried herbs, add now) stir and simmer gently for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until you have a lovely unctuous sauce. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 180 Fan or Heat a grill.
Transfer the tomato sauce to the gratin dish (this sauce is also great with pasta!!) and dot with the goats cheese and olives. Baked for 20 minutes or grill until bubbling. Serve with the bread.
Relax, Eat and Enjoy!!
This recipe is incredibly adaptable! Add a few artichokes from a jar? Leave out the anchovies but add salt for a vegetarian version? Add chopped spicy salami or chorizo? Capers? Just go for it             Gillie