A bounty from tomato plants in the garden creates some delicious
table options
It’s the time of year where we have to go outside nearly every
day with a big bowl to collect the bounty off our tomato plants.
This year the yield is up from last year, when the weather was mild
and the first tomatoes ripened at the end of August.
A bounty from tomato plants in the garden creates some delicious table options
It’s the time of year where we have to go outside nearly every day with a big bowl to collect the bounty off our tomato plants. This year the yield is up from last year, when the weather was mild and the first tomatoes ripened at the end of August.
So far this summer we’ve been getting plenty of cherry tomatoes, including sungold and sweet 100, one a sweet, golden orange fruit and the other a bright red one. More recently we’ve also had some of our early girls ripen enough to pick and the heirlooms are just now starting to brighten. We’ve never planted heirloom varieties before and since we purchased the ones we bought at a garden sale we didn’t know what they would look like when they are ripe. It turns out that these heirlooms don’t become the typical bright red associated with tomatoes. One becomes a light pink, orange color and the other is a dark red, tomato with green undertones.
With all the tomatoes that are to come in the next few weeks, we decided we needed to find a way to make use of them. The heirloom tomato pie recipe takes some time, as the dough needs time to rest and the tomatoes need to sit in a colander with salt to drain out some of the liquid. The recipe was well worth the time on a weekend afternoon. The other recipe made a perfect pair of our homegrown cherry tomatoes and basil for a savory bread pudding that would work perfectly for an afternoon snack or a Sunday brunch.
Heirloom tomato pie
Recipe courtesy of “Food Network
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
3/4 tsp. fine salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 c. plus 3 tablespoons shredded manchego cheese
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 1/4 lb. mixed heirloom tomatoes
Kosher salt
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. breadcrumbs
3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground pepper
Make the crust: Pulse the flour, cornmeal and fine salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and 3 tablespoons manchego; pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Drizzle in 4 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together; add 1 more tablespoon ice water if necessary. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
Put the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 13-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edges. Pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the crust with foil, then fill with dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and continue baking until golden all over, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Make the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes; toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander. Let drain, gently tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup manchego, the mozzarella, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons each chives and parsley, the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper, and the sauteed onion in a bowl. Spread in the crust. Arrange the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with pepper. Bake until the tomatoes are browned, about 50 minutes. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon each chives and parsley.
Tomato basil bread pudding
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Filling:
Butter, for greasing the baking dish
1/2 (8 ounces) multi-grain loaf, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 packed c. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 c. (6 ounces) shredded Parmesan
Custard:
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 c. whole milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Filling: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Add the bread cubes and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil. Pour the tomato mixture and Parmesan cheese over the bread cubes and combine well.
Custard: In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together until smooth. Pour the custard over the bread mixture and gently toss to coat. Bake until slightly puffed and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
