Crispy, 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. An incredible make-ahead snack when you're entertaining (or just fancy treating yourself before dinner!).
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
4
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
6
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
Focused, skilled and intelligent, Paul Foster works with the materials he has around him to create extraordinary dishes which sing with a vibrancy perfectly in tune with their surroundings.
