Isle Of Wight Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup

500-600g Isle of Wight cocktail tomatoes, halved

1 garlic bulb

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chopped thyme

500-700ml chicken or vegetable stock (start with 500ml, add more to thin)

150-250g cottage cheese 

2 tsp Isle of Wight Tomato Hot Sauce 

Salt + black pepper

For the roasted chickpea topping:

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed, patted dry

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt + pepper

To serve:

Chopped parsley

Dash of hot sauce

Extra black pepper

Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). 

Spread the sliced cocktail tomatoes over a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and scatter over the fresh thyme. Nestle the whole bulb of garlic onto the tray and drizzle it lightly with olive oil.

On a second tray, toss the chickpeas with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper.

Roast the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes, until blistered, jammy and browned at the edges. Roast the chickpeas for 20–25 minutes, shaking the tray once halfway through, until crisp.

Once roasted, squeeze the soft garlic cloves from their skins into a blender (or a saucepan if using a stick blender). Add the roasted tomatoes along with the stock and blend until smooth.

Add the cottage cheese and blend again until silky and creamy, then stir in IOWT hot sauce to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy roasted chickpeas, a final dash of hot sauce, and a sprinkle of herbs and freshly cracked black pepper before serving.