Every year since I started experimenting in the garden with vegetables, I have the same problem the last few days of August and into September - what the heck do I do with the bumper crop of tomatoes that seems to rejuvenate overnight? I have to admit, I don't grow the large beefsteak tomatoes, primarily because every member of my family prefers the smaller sweeter versions. My favorite are 100 tomatoes. Very similar to a cherry tomato found in your local grocery store, but the taste is over the moon in comparison! So I head back to my trusty Italian reference guides to make the most out of our "100 season", relishing that everyday brings a harvest where soon a blanket of ice and snow will dominate.
One of my husband's favorite appetizers is a basic tomato bruschetta - a large round of peasant bread topped with fresh tomatoes, herbs, garlic and cheese. I figured out during our time in Italy that if you order bruschetta, expect a bread slice as large as your hand - order a crostini and it is more a bagette sliced size portion. Other than that, you are on your own with defining the two!
Here is my standby, courtesy of Babbo in NYC, which pleases the entire family!
Tomato & Sheep's Milk Cheese Bruschetta
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
10 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded
4 large garlic cloves, 1 halved, the other 3 sliced paper thin
8 -1" slices of crusty peasant bread
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓ lb. cacio di roma or other semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, black pepper and thin-sliced garlic. Set aside.
Slice the bread, place them on a large cookie sheet and toast them in a 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes, or until they crisp and turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and to a cooling rack. Rub one side of each slice of bread with remaining garlic halves, then brush with olive oil. Season the tomato mixture with salt, and spoon onto slices of bread, topping with shaved cacio cheese.
And my daughter's favorite pasta dish? Mario Batali's Spaghetti using 100 Tomatoes! This is a super-easy and quick meal I love to prepare this in September, while the 100s are multiple and I can still fetch fresh chives and basil from the garden to accompany them. As well, I try to supply at least one vegetarian meal to my family each week (unbeknown to my husband!) and this fits the bill perfectly!
Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Chives
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 pints 100, grape or cherry tomatoes, whole
1/2 bunch chives, cut into 1-inch lengths
12 fresh lemon-basil or basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 pound pasta (linguine, spaghetti, just about any kind), either fresh or dried
Directions
Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving some pasta water.
In the meantime, heat a large skillet or sauté pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it softens and just begins to brown.
Add the tomatoes, chives, and basil (reserve some for sprinkling at the end) and cook until the tomatoes just begin to burst.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, for an additional minute to marry the flavors. Moisten with pasta water as desired; serve immediately.
We like to grate some fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese over the dish just before serving.
Lastly, a quick and easy side dish is roasted tomatoes. You can prepare this several ways, simply place a bunch of clean tomatoes in a baking dish, coating with some olive oil and your favorite fresh herbs. Pop them into the oven until they start to brown. I often keep the tomatoes intact on their vine - it creates a pretty plate! Some variations on this dish include adding salt/pepper or dried bread crumbs.
However you choose to devour your earned crop of tomatoes, enjoy them to the last ripe one remains! For us in Edmonton, we have another ten months before we taste them again!
K
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