Spiced tomato tarts with yogurt topping

These tarts came together on a weeknight when I had a tub of Greek yogurt in the fridge and not much else. The base is a yogurt and self-raising flour dough, the sort of quick dough you would normally make for a scone. Mixing yogurt into the flour gives you something soft enough to roll without much fuss, and it bakes up crisp at the edges while staying tender in the middle. It is a useful trick to keep in your head for any night you want a base without opening a packet of pastry.

Tomatoes are one of those ingredients that taste better than they have any right to, even when they are not in season. The flavour sits in the juice and the seeds, so slice them thickly and let them sit on the dough for the full bake. If the tomatoes are watery, you can lay the slices on a folded tea towel for ten minutes first and pat them dry. That keeps the base from going soggy around the rim.

The harissa is what makes these interesting. A teaspoon of paste stirred into a little red wine vinegar and olive oil goes a long way, and the vinegar cuts through the richness so the heat does not sit heavily on the tongue. Taste the mixture before you brush it on. Some harissa is fiery and some is mild, so adjust the seasoning to suit the people you are feeding.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for a day or so, though the base softens. The good way to reuse them is cold, the next day, torn over a bowl of leaves with a spoon of yogurt. For a fuller plate, serve them alongside Warm Roasted Tomato Fattoush with Crispy Pitta, which picks up the same tomato and vinegar notes. If you want something more substantial, Oven Baked Mackerel with Lemon Tomatoes makes a good partner, the oily fish balancing the sharp tomatoes. A plate of Garlicky Chilli Mushrooms with Parsley also works well if you are serving a few small dishes to share.

Rocket on the side adds a peppery bite that suits the warm tarts. Put it on the plate just before eating so it stays crisp and does not wilt under the yogurt.