by Cindy Coopwood
At some point every summer there’s a breaking point, when gardens, farmers markets, and kitchen counters suddenly overflow with tomatoes—big ones, little ones, heirlooms, and all just waiting to be enjoyed. While there’s nothing wrong with eating them straight from the vine, summer’s favorite ingredient deserves a few new ideas too. From a crunchy twist on the classic tomato sandwich to simple entertaining favorites perfect for sharing, these recipes celebrate tomato season at its very best.
Tomato Basil Galette
1 refrigerated pastry dough
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
4 to 5ripe tomatoes, sliced in ½-inch slices
¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste chopped fresh basil for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, and gently place dough on top. Spread the bottom of pastry with cheese, sprinkle with fresh basil. Cover with tomato slices arranging to cover as evenly as possible. Sprinkle tomatoes, generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake 30 to 40 minutes and garnish with more fresh chopped basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Optional: Leave about an inch border when placing the dough, and gently fold over the edges of the dough around the tart for a more rustic edge.
Tomato Feta Dip
If you’re the rare soul lacking in garden fresh tomatoes, Roma tomatoes are a flavorful year-round choice readily available at the grocery.
3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 to 5green onions, sliced thinly
8 ounces feta cheese
½ cup olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons Cavender’s Greek seasoning
pita chips
In a large bowl, gently combine the tomatoes, green onions, feta and olive oil. Season with Cavender’s to taste. Gently combine the ingredients. Serve with pita chips.
Tomato Cracker Salad
This salad takes like summer in a bowl! We predict that when your tomatoes are overflowing from the garden you will be making it on repeat.
4 medium garden-fresh tomatoes
¾ cup mayo
1 sleeve saltine crackers (coarsely broken)
salt and pepper
green onions, chopped, optional
Coarsely chop the tomatoes and allow to drain in a colander or gently press out excess liquid. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes with the mayonnaise. Add salt and generous amounts of black pepper to taste. Add the crumbled crackers and toss lightly to coat. Add salt and generous amounts of black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes
2 to 3 medium tomatoes
1 cup cottage cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ cup cracker crumbs or panko
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse ground black pepper
salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Slice the tops off the tomatoes. Scoop out center with most of the seeds, leaving the flesh around the perimeter intact. Sprinkle insides of tomatoes with salt and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese with crumbs for topping.
Mix remaining Parmesan cheese with cottage cheese, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and a few grinds of black pepper (or pinch of chili flakes); mix well to combine. Taste and season with kosher salt, if needed.
Pour out any juices that have collected inside the tomatoes before placing in a small baking dish. Divide cottage cheese mixture evenly into each tomato, and sprinkle crumb topping on top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Caprese Salad and Toasted Caprese Bread
Fresh, simple, and full of summer flavor, this Caprese recipe works beautifully as a classic salad—or easily transforms into a warm, melty toasted bread for a quick lunch or appetizer. It’s also a perfect way to use up leftover Caprese salad.
tomato slices
fresh mozzarella slices
fresh basil leaves or pesto
olive oil
balsamic vinegar or glaze, optional
salt and black pepper
French bread or baguette (for bread version)
grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Caprese Salad
Arrange alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Add fresh basil leaves or a drizzle of pesto, and finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar if desired.
Toasted Caprese Bread
To turn the same ingredients into a warm appetizer or lunch, simply nestle the tomato, mozzarella, and basil (or pesto) onto halved French bread or a baguette. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese begins to melt, then broil briefly to toast the top until golden and bubbly. Watch carefully.
Finish with fresh basil and an extra drizzle of olive oil or balsamic vinegar, to taste.
