Summer is the tomato season. During this time, they reach their full ripeness and it’s worth eating them in large quantities. Often you don't even need to turn on the stove to prepare tasty summer recipes made with tomatoes. As well as being rich in water, vitamins, and minerals, they can be easily combined with lots of different ingredients, from pasta to cheese, meat, and fish.
The reason for their versatility in the kitchen was discovered by Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal. Their secret is tastiness. As many as 13 species of tomatoes contain the highest concentration of free glutamic acid, the umami stimulator, the fifth flavor as well as sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Now, let's cook tomatoes for summer!
Gazpacho, a fresh and light first course
Tomatoes can be used to prepare fresh and light first courses. One of these is gazpacho, a typical dish from the Spanish region Andalusia, but which can be easily available on the tables of Italians and Americans. It’s easy to make, doesn’t require the use of a cooker and, above all, should be served very cold.
To prepare it you need 1 lb 6 oz tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, vine ripe), 7 oz red peppers, 7 oz green peppers, 7 oz cucumbers, a red onion, a clove of garlic, 4 oz stale breadcrumbs, ½ glass white wine vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.
Put the crumb in a bowl, pour in enough vinegar and water to soak it well and let it marinate until it has absorbed all the liquid. Then drain it with a strainer and set it aside. Wash the vegetables, peel the cucumbers, and remove the seeds from the peppers and tomatoes. Clean the garlic and onion as well. Put all the chopped vegetables and chunks in the mixer and blend until the mixture is dense and homogeneous. Pour it into a bowl through a strainer. Transfer the cream back into the mixer and add the breadcrumbs. Blend again for a few seconds and at this point, after transferring it into a container, let the gazpacho rest in the fridge for a few hours.
Caprese finger food, for a smart aperitif
Tomato and mozzarella Caprese is a must in summer. An alternative way to present this dish could be in the form of finger food. For about ten people, you need 9 oz conchiglioni pasta (shell shape pasta), 11 oz cherry tomatoes, 11 oz mozzarella bites, 3 oz pine nuts, a bunch of basil, oil, salt, pepper, and chili powder.
Boil the conchiglioni, drain them while they are still al dente and place them on a serving plate to let them cool. Cut the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes into slices. Blend the pine nuts, basil, and oil to obtain a sort of pesto. Put a teaspoon of this emulsion on the bottom of each shell and stuff it with the slices of tomato and mozzarella, arranged alternately. Season with a drizzle of oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of chili pepper. To finish, garnish with a basil leaf.
Not the usual savory pie
This is not your usual savory pie despite what it may seem. The base is crunchy, a brisée with pesto, perfect for a creamy cheese filling on which to lay the triumphant sunshine scented cherry tomato. The ingredients are: 11 oz cherry tomatoes, 2 oz butter, 7 oz flour, 250 grams ricotta cheese, 3 oz pesto, 2 oz pine nuts, a teaspoon of cumin, basil, oil, salt, and pepper.
To prepare the brisée mix the flour with the chopped butter, pesto, and three tablespoons of very cold water. Form a ball, wrap it in film, and put it to rest in the fridge for half an hour. Then oil a cake tin, arrange a layer of dough 5 millimeters thick, prick it with a fork and bake in the oven for about twenty minutes. In the meantime, cut the tomatoes into four slices and season to taste, then properly mix the ricotta with oil, salt, pepper, and cumin. When the pasta has cooled, stuff the base with this filling and decorate with the cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and some basil leaves.