Tomato, Chilli and Ginger Damper

Winter time and my thoughts turn to soups and breads.

This recipe was inspired by our 1998 trip to New Zealand. We were dining in a restaurant in Te Anau and ordered garlic bread. Instead, the waitress recommended that we try the tomato bread: “fresh ginger, roasted garlic, tomato and chilli”. It was delicious.

1998 was in the days before widespread access to the Internet so I adapted a Weight Watchers tomato damper recipe to create this damper, and it remains a favourite to this day.

Serves 8

Times

Preparation:

20 minutes

Cooking:

25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 Tbs freshly grated ginger
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomato, soaked in boiling water, drained and sliced
• Either 1 x 220g tin of condensed tomato soup, or replace the soup with:
  • ½ tsp dry basil
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • ½ cup of tin diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup of water or skim milk
• Extra self raising flour for dusting the work surface
• Roma tomato cut into 8 slices for decoration (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and coat an oven tray with cooking spray.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in dry herbs and spices: chilli powder and basil (if using)
3. Use a knife to stir in the fresh spices—grated ginger and garlic (if used)—and sun-dried tomato.
4. Slowly add liquid ingredients until the mixture forms a soft, sticky dough.
5. Dust the work surface with extra flour and gently knead the dough.
6. Shape the dough into a round loaf and mark out eight slices, or separate the dough and create 8 separate rolls.
7. Place a slice of tomato on each wedge or each roll, and place the damper on the oven tray.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until the damper sounds hollow when tapped.

Tip

Freeze portions for future meals. When required, microwave on high for 1½-3 minutes.