IOW Tomato, Cucumber & Crispy Feta Salad

• 1 block feta
• 1 egg, beaten
• 100g plain flour (for coating)
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp nigella seeds
• Isle of Wight olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• For the dressing & salad:
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1–2 tsp za’atar
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1–2 tsp honey
• A handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped
• Isle of Wight cherry and baby plum tomatoes, halved
• ½ Isle of Wight cucumber, sliced

To serve:

• Slices of sourdough

Coat the feta first in flour, followed by the beaten egg, and finally in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, sesame seeds and nigella seeds until well covered. 

Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then shallow fry the feta for a few minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside on kitchen paper.

While the feta is cooking, make the dressing by mixing the grated garlic with the za’atar, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey and a good drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, then add the halved tomatoes, sliced cucumber and chopped mint, tossing everything together so the tomatoes are well coated and glossy.

Spoon the tomato salad onto a serving plate and place the warm, crispy feta on top. Finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and honey, a scatter of fresh herbs, and serve with slices of sourdough for scooping up all the juices.