Loaded Olive Oil: Crushed Cherry Tomato & Garlic Confit

Welcome to the juiciest chapter of our Loaded Olive Oil series. This one is bursting with the sweet tang of ripe cherry tomatoes, mellow, slow roasted garlic confit, and the vibrant green fruitiness of our Opus Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

It’s a spoon-it-over-everything kind of situation - built for crusty bread, yes, but also worthy of grilled fish, pasta, or a spoonful straight from the plate. Think of it as the ultimate Mediterranean tomato confit, simplified.

We first served this during our late summer tasting evenings, when tomatoes were at their peak and the air was still thick with heat and sea breeze. It disappeared in minutes. And now, you can make it anytime.

This type of recipe does not really need precise measurements.  Feel free to adjust to your personal taste.  The recipe below is for guidance.  We like to keep these dairy free during the summer to allow the fresh produce to shine and for a lighter overall touch.  You can always add a little bit of crumbled feta cheese or some grated parmesan. 

🍅 LOADED CHERRY TOMATO & GARLIC OLIVE OIL – for dipping bread (and everything else)

🫒 You’ll need:

• ½ cup Opus Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more to roast your garlic

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or roughly crushed

• 4 or more slow roasted garlic cloves, mashed

• 1/2 tsp dried Greek oregano

• Zest of ½ a lemon

• A few basil leaves, torn (optional)

• Unprocessed sea salt and cracked black pepper

• Warm, crusty bread, to serve

🍽️ How to make it:

1. Place your garlic cloves, including their papery skin, in a small oven-proof dish.  Cover with some Opus Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and cover the dish with some foil.  Place in an air fryer for 30 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius.
2. In a shallow serving bowl or wide plate, pour in the Opus EVOO. 
3. Scatter in the crushed cherry tomatoes and stir in your garlic confit. 
4. Add the oregano, lemon zest, a few torn basil leaves, and season with unprocessed sea salt and pepper.
5. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes before serving, to allow the flavours to mingle.
   

The tomatoes will softly infuse the oil with sweetness, while the garlic and herbs layer in depth. Scoop it up with good bread - don’t be shy.

🌞 Why it works:

This loaded oil channels the feeling of a late summer lunch in the Greek countryside. The juicy acidity of the tomatoes is tamed by the richness of garlic and the silkiness of your olive oil. Every bite is sunshine and soul.

👨🍳 Chef’s Twist:

Toss this entire mixture with al dente spaghetti for a 5-minute summer pasta (added plus: stir in some milky burrata too). Or spoon it over grilled slices of bread to make bruschette to serve with drinks. 

More to come:
We’ve got more versions on the way…

🫒🍞 Tried this one? Tag us @opus_olea and show us how you serve it.