Harissa-spiced Tomato and Tuna Cake

This harissa-spiced tomato and tuna cake is awesome. The cake is not only good for picnic eaten outdoor as originally conceived by Yotam Ottolenghi. I want it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Actually, anytime and anywhere. Consider this cake as your favorite tuna melt, potato and egg salad, plus roasted tomatoes all rolled into one. Well, I can’t say enough good things about this stunning and utterly delectable cake. No one consistently delivers vibrant flavors like the talented Yotam Ottolenghi.

As long as you are willing to put in the time to assemble the different ingredients, this harissa-spiced tomato and tuna cake is accessible to home cooks of all skill levels. You do need an 8-inch (20 cm) round pan. If you have a springform pan, you can bypass the hazard of having to flip the cake over. Without any of the special equipments, no worry. You can easily buy disposable paper cake molds, which I use often when I giveaway the cakes. They invariably make very good presentations.

This cake is all about layers. Layers of ingredients with varying texture and explosions of flavors. The bottom of the harissa-spiced tomato and tuna cake is filled with smashed small new potatoes. See the picture below. The layer above is the mix of tuna, spring onions and kalamata olives. For the next layer, you spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly across. The middle of the cake is where the soft-boiled eggs go. Repeat layering on top of the eggs with tuna, spring onions and olives, followed by potatoes and the mayonnaise mixture. The final step is spreading the harissa-spiced tomatoes which will become the crown. The cake is now ready to go into the 390°F oven for 35-40 minutes.

It’s time to make the parsley salsa while the cake is in the oven. You drizzle the salsa over the finished harissa-spiced tomato and tuna cake. I was careful not to mess up its beautiful look. In retrospect, a spontaneous twist of the wrist and wave of the arm, like that of a maestro or a painter, would be fun. After all, this is a master piece of a cake. Well, someday I’ll do that — when I develop enough confidence and mastery of a painterly stroke!

Meanwhile, this cake will join IHCC with other potluck dishes.

First layer: mashed new potatoes

Second layer: tuna and green onions

Third layer: chopped kalamata olives

Middle of the cake are soft-boiled eggs over a mayonnaise mix. Then repeat.

Harissa-spiced cherry tomatoes go to the top layer.

Bake tomato cake in 390°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes

Layers of potato, tuna, egg salads and roasted tomatoes all rolled into one.

Who wants the last piece?

Print Recipe

Harissa-spiced tomato and tuna cake

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 750g small to medium new potatoes
• Flaked sea salt and black pepper
• 7 eggs
• 100g mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 240g canned tuna in olive oil, drained
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 200g pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 60ml olive oil
• 3 tbsp harissa, or less, depending on your taste for spice
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• FOR THE PARSLEY SALSA:
• 1½ tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon – zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp; and juiced, to get 1½ tbsp
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 big pinch flaked salt and black pepper

Instructions

1

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan of cold, well-salted water. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are soft but still hold their shape. Drain and set aside to cool.

2

While the potatoes are cooking, half-fill a large saucepan with water, bring to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-high so the water is boiling gently, then lower in five eggs and cook for six minutes. Drain, leave the eggs under the cold tap for a couple of minutes, to stop them cooking any more, then peel and set aside. Whisk the mayonnaise with the remaining two eggs and the mustard.

3

Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8inch cake tin with greaseproof paper. Lay out the potatoes on a chopping board and squash them flat with a fork or potato masher, so they’re about 1.5cm/0.5inch thick. Put half the squashed potatoes in the base of the tin, pressing them very firmly together to form a compact layer. Sprinkle with a little flaked salt and pepper, then top with half the tuna, half the spring onions and half the olives. Pour half the mayonnaise mix evenly over the top.

4

Cut the soft-boiled eggs in half lengthways, and lay them yolk side up on top of the spring onions/olives layer.

5

Top with a final layer each of tuna, spring onions and olives, in that order, then lay the remaining squashed potatoes on top, pressing them down to form a compact layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour over the remaining mayonnaise mixture and press the whole thing down very well to compact it.

6

Toss the tomatoes with the harissa, maple syrup and two tablespoons of oil, and scatter evenly on top of the potato layer.

7

Place a tray under the cake tin to catch any oil, then bake for 35-40 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and are slightly charred. Refrigerate until cool and set, for at least four hours, and preferably overnight.

8

Mix the parsley salsa ingredients, remove the cake from the tin and drizzle evenly with parsley salsa.

Notes

Copyright 2016 - Ever Open Sauce. All Rights Reserved. Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/16/yotam-ottolenghi-picnic-recipes