Brunch is one of those meals, where anything goes. Hot and cold. Savory and sweet. Honestly, it’s just a good excuse to discard routine mealtimes and have people around to share a laugh, some stories and some good food. One of my favorite little dishes to serve is carmelized onions and roasted tomatoes atop gently fried Norwegian lompe.

Lomper are flat, round potato ‘cakes’, or smaller versions of potato lefse. Lomper are incredibly easy to make at home, with only a few ingredients – you can find the recipe here. The great thing, about most baked flatbreads, is that they are versatile. While it’s quite common here in Norway to eat a sausage/pølse wrapped in a lompe, or have it spread with something sweet, I like to think of lompe as a creative base that’s at its best when fried in a little oil. By frying the lompe, the taste is more prominent, with a slight sweetness, making it an ideal base for a variety of toppings. It also makes it a little crispier, lending a greater texture.

With winter still dredging its heels, it’s nice to have something that can give a glimpse into summer. Cherry tomatoes are perfect for freezing whole with their skins on. So, if you’re like me and end up with a little too many after the summer harvest, you can simple freeze them and take a couple out when needed to either roast them in the oven or use in soups and sauces.

Lomper with Carmelized Onions & Roasted Tomatoes

(Makes 24 small lomper)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (500 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
• Olive oil
• 1 3/4 pounds (800 g) onions, sliced into thin rings
• Fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 6 to 8 Norwegian lomper, cut into circles (about 3-4 circles per lompe) – you can use a tortilla or something similar, but the taste will quite not be the same

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF. Spread the tomatoes, cut side up, along a rimmed baking tray and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil over the top. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once and awhile.

While the tomatoes are cooking, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add the onions, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until the onions are soft and golden brown. Place them in a separate dish and set aside.

Prepare the lomper rounds by cutting small circles into each one with a steel cutter. You should get 3 to 4 circles per lompe. In a large pan, over medium-high heat, heat up enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Place the lomper rounds in the pan and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 30 to 45 seconds each side.

Assemble the lomper by evenly distributing the onions on top, followed by the tomatoes. Serve warm. You can warm them in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving. 

∗ A good brunch accompaniment to my  Baked Smoked Salmon & Eggs