Tomato & Almond Patè

I had the cookery group round this week and we made some really tasty things. This Tomato & Almond Patè is deeply savoury and utterly delicious. It would make a great sandwich filler / toast topper / jacket potato topping. Or let it down a little and stir it through pasta. I had some on a Ryvita and it was very yum
This budget recipe is super simple, you just whizz everything together. It’s vegan, dairy and gluten free too if that interests you
Where can I buy sun dried tomatoes
I use sun dried tomatoes from Healthy Supplies for this budget recipe. They come in large 1kg bags, currently £9.95, but last for ages. I prefer to buy them dried like this, rather than the jars of tomatoes in oil in the supermarkets. They are also much cheaper, but I appreciate you need the cash to be able to get them. I tend to stock up on several items so I get free postage (orders over £39). I get several things from HS – freeze dried kale and porcini powders, freeze dried strawberry and raspberry powders. Great for all kinds of things
If you use Healthy Supplies tomatoes, they would be £1
Merchant Gourmet tomatoes from Sainsbury £1.55
Ground almonds are about £1 for 100g
Plus a little for oil
So this recipe would cost £2-£2.55 for a batch.
Makes 8 x 50g servings, so 25p-32p a serving

Instructions
For tomatoes that are dried and in a packet
- Soak the sun dried tomatoes in a little water, about 200ml, until they have plumped up, then drain them.
- Put the tomatoes, olive oil and ground almonds in a mixing bowl or jug
- Add about 100ml of the water the tomatoes were soaking in
For tomatoes that are in a jar, in oil
- If your tomatoes are from a jar, drain the oil from them, keeping the oil for later use
- Put the tomatoes, ground almonds, 2 tblsp of the oil from the jar and about 100ml water in a mixing bowl or jug
For all kinds
- Whizz to a smooth paste with a stick blender
- Add more water if you want a less thick spread
- Freezes well if you don't use it within about a week
Equipment Needed
Notes
Got a great recipe? How about submitting it to appear on Thrifty Lesley!
Nutrition
Take care of your family and your budget
Before putting together the meal planners, Lesley surveyed what was needed. Of the existing 14 budget meal plans, most are cheap meals for 2 people so can be sized up or down. Others are cheap family meals for 4 people, or meals for one
Sounds gorgeous, good idea
And also can be used (thinned down with a little water) as a pasta sauce.
I mixed it with onions, mushrooms, sweetcorn, soya beans (frozen from Tesco) and cheap pasta.
It was really tasty, cheap, healthy and vegan.
Well worth a try.
What a really easy, tasty and versatile recipe. Tried on sandwiches and mixed into egg noodles so far.Both work well.
I love it and will be making it many more times.