Preheat your Ooni oven to 290-315°C (550-600°F).

To make the za'atar tomatoes, put the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, garlic, ½ teaspoon (3 grams) of salt and a generous grind of pepper into a cast iron skillet. Place it in your Ooni and bake for 2 minutes, then rotate 180°. Bake for another 2 minutes or until the tomatoes have just burst, but aren’t completely falling apart.

Take the baking dish out of the oven. Gently stir in the za’atar and sugar and let cool completely. Once cool, gently stir in the parsley and oregano, so as not to break up the tomatoes.

Heat your Ooni oven up to approximately 260 °C (500 °F), using an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the stone. To make the béchamel, place the 3 tablespoons of butter (40 grams) into a medium saucepan and heat on medium-high. Once melted, add the flour (20 grams) and cook, whisking continuously for 30 seconds or until it smells like popcorn.

Slowly pour in 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) of milk, whisking continuously to avoid any lumps, then add the garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often until it becomes thick and no longer floury tasting.

Remove from heat and cover the saucepan with a piece of parchment paper to prevent skin from forming, set aside.

Next, prepare the polenta by adding the remaining 1 ⅓ cups (400 milliliters) of milk, water, 3 tablespoons (40 grams) of butter, 1¼ teaspoons (7 grams) of salt and a good grind of pepper to a medium saucepan and heat on medium-high.

Once the mixture starts gently bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly add the polenta, whisking continuously to incorporate and cook for 2 minutes to thicken.

Add the pecorino and the remaining 1½ tablespoons (14 grams) of butter and stir with a spatula until incorporated.

Quickly transfer the polenta to the baking sheet and spread into a large oblong shape, about ½ inch (1 centimeter) thick and 15 inches (38 centimeters) long.

Spoon the béchamel over the top and spread it to cover the entire surface, leaving a ½ inch (1½ centimeter) rim exposed around the edges. Top evenly with feta and oregano sprigs.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and turn off the flame. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the pan 180° then turn the flame back on. Bake for another 5 minutes. Rotate the pan again and bake for another 2 to 5 minutes, or until golden and bubbling on top, and starting to brown around the edges. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Tip: When the flame is on, watch to ensure that the feta and bechamel don’t burn. If your edges start to look a little crispy or burnt, cut the flame for a few minutes. If cooking with wood, open the door.

Spoon half of the za’atar tomatoes on top of the baked polenta, and serve the rest in a bowl with the meal. Use a pizza cutter to easily cut the polenta into slabs and serve warm.

Tip: Keep the rest of the tomatoes in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Try them on bruschetta or as a sauce for pasta.