This year, like last year, has been a wet summer. But when you work cooking in a hot kitchen, it is welcoming. Luckily, my tomato plants have survived.
They did have a moment when they lost some of their blossoms, so we don’t have as many as we normally do. But it is always a joy to walk into the backyard and grab the days harvest.
We chose to grow mostly the Florentine tomato for sauce. It has a thicker skin and fewer seeds and is best for cooking and not for salads.
One of the easiest recipes is making the classic tomato sauce, Pomarola. I wrote it up for the Dievole blog this summer, stop by their site and check it out and you can also see the lovely photo of the tomato sliced open and the rich meaty inside!
For a quick snack in summer, instead of the classic bruschetta, which I find a pain to eat as the tiny pieces of tomatoes ALWAYS fall off the bread and onto my lovely white summer shirts!
We make a simple pane al pomodoro, similar to the Spanish pan tomate.
Pane e Pomodoro
Cut the tomato across the belly and rub the tomato on a slice of country-style bread, squeezing it as you go.
This releases all the ripe tomato and you are left with the skin in your hand. I break this up and add on top.
Tear some basil leaves on top, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
If you want a richer dish, toast the bread first, rub with a raw garlic clove just like making Tuscan Fettunta ( bruschetta) and then rub with the tomato.
Not only great tasting but fun to let everyone do their own!
Ripe tomatoes are a MUST.
Buon Estate!
Ps also check out my article on preserving capers on the Dievole blog. Have you ever seen capers growing? There is a recipe for Salsa Verde, another favorite of mine.
Mmmmm that looks like summer bursting off a hunk of bread.