Burst Tomato and Herbed Ricotta Galette

Ingredients:

Serves 4.

Pastry Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

6 oz. butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tsp. kosher salt

ice water

1 egg, well beaten, for egg wash

Filling:

2 pints mixed cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons mixed herbs, finely chopped (I used basil, thyme, and rosemary)

16 oz whole milk ricotta

olive oil

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

For the pastry dough:

Place the flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour, making small butter flakes. Once the butter is evenly distributed throughout the flour, slowly add ice water, mixing with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. After at least 30 minutes, remove from the refrigerator and place on a well floured surface and roll the dough into a 12 inch round approximately 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside.

For the filling:

Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil. Add the tomatoes and cover with a lid. Heat over medium high heat, moving the pan gently every few minutes to toss the tomatoes around. After about 5 minutes the tomatoes will begin to make a "popping" sound. Carefully remove the lid after about 7 minutes. The majority of the tomato skins should be split. If they are not yet split, return the lid and allow them to continue to cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta, herbs, salt and pepper.

Spread the ricotta mixture over the pastry crust, leaving a 2 inch border around the edge. Spoon the tomatoes on top. Fold the border over the filling, pleating it to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush the crust with the egg wash.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato Jam

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com 

Ingredients:

Makes 5 pints.

5 pounds tomatoes

5 cups sugar

big pinch of kosher salt

Method:

Bring a large dutch oven of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, cut out the stem end of each tomato, then slice a shallow X in the bottom.

Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water until their skins loosen, about 30 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let cool. When cool enough to handle, slip off their skins. Discard the water, but save the dutch oven for cooking the jam.

Halve the tomatoes at their equator and gently squeeze out the seeds and juice. Reserve the seeds and juice for another use. Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.

Return the tomatoes to the saucepan and stir in the sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to ensure that the mixture is cooking evenly, until most of the liquid has cooked off. If foam occasionally rises to the top, skim it off with a large spoon. Remove from the heat.

Ladle the jam into clean jars. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate.

Jam will keep in the fridge for 6 months or can be canned and preserved indefinitely.

Serving Suggestions:

• Spread crostini with goat cheese and top with jam
• Serve alongside a collection of local cheeses and toasted nuts for a seasonal twist on a cheese plate
• Serve with buttermilk biscuits and fresh butter

Fried Green Tomato BLT with Basil Mayo

Ingredients

Makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices sourdough bread

1/2 pound high quality bacon (I used Main Street Meats belly bacon)

1 head butter lettuce

2 large green tomatoes, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup corn meal

3/4 cup buttermilk

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup basil mayo, recipe to follow

Safflower oil for frying

Basil Mayo:

2 egg yolks

4 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 cup grape seed oil

3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place the egg yolks, dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Very slowly, pour in the grape seed oil, whisking constantly. The mayo will thicken significantly, but will not be as thick as store bought mayo. Add the basil and stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.

For the sandwiches:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bacon on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook 10-12 minutes or until bacon has reached your preferred crispness. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat enough safflower oil to cover the bottom of the pan with a depth of 1/4 inch. While the oil is heating, place the buttermilk in a small shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cornmeal and season with salt and pepper. Dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk then in the flour and cornmeal mixture, coating all sides evenly. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove the tomato slices from the pan and place on paper towels. Season with a little more salt.

Toast the bread until it has started to get crisp but has not started to brown. Remove from the oven and assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with 1 1/2 tsp. of the basil mayo. Stack with several lettuce leaves, 2-3 tomato slices and 2-3 slices of bacon. Serve immediately.

Zephyr Squash, Red Potato, and Blue Cheese Tart

This delicious tart is great any time of day! It makes a wonderful breakfast or, when served with a salad, a great light dinner. 

Ingredients:

Tart Crust:

2 cups all purpose flour

6 oz. butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tsp. kosher salt

ice water

Filling:

1 medium zephyr squash, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds

1 medium red potato, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds

1 egg yolk

1 cup heavy cream

2 oz. blue cheese

1 tbls. minced herbs of your choice, I used rosemary and thyme

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

Method

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the tart crust:

Place the flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour, making small butter flakes. Once the butter is evenly distributed throughout the flour, slowly add ice water, mixing with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Place on a well floured surface and roll the dough into a 12 inch round approximately 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough in a 10 inch fluted tart pan and press into the sides. Trim the excess dough, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

For the filling:

In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with water by 2 inches. Simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and egg yolk and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the potato and squash rounds, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles around the tart pan. Crumble the blue cheese and sprinkle on top. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the herbs. 

Bake tart on a baking sheet until bubbling and golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from tart pan. Can be served warm or room temp.

Zephyr Squash and Herbed Goat Cheese Galette

Galettes are one of my favorite things to make in the summer. They are a wonderful way to serve up the bounty of the season in both sweet and savory ways. This zephyr squash galette is super simple and makes a great light meal on its own or you can pair it with a salad for a fuller meal.

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings.

Dough:

(dough recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon table salt 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chill again 1/4 cup plain yogurt 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup ice water

1 egg for egg wash

Squash filling:

3-4 medium zephyr squash, cut in 1/4-inch thick rounds

1 large red onion, cut in a 1-inch dice

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons minced herbs of your choice (I used basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary)

6 oz goat cheese

kosher salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Make the dough:

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over dough and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the biggest pieces of butter the size of tiny peas. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, apple cider vinegar and water and add this to the butter-flour mixture. With your fingertips or a wooden spoon, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Pat the lumps into a ball. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

While the dough is chilling, make the filling:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and squash and sauté until golden brown and slightly tender. You want the squash to still have a bit of crunch to it so that it doesn't get over cooked in the oven. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Stir together the goat cheese and about 1/4 cup of the herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the goat cheese mixture to the squash and onion mixture and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Assemble the galette:

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a roughly 12-inch round. Transfer to a lightly oiled or parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon the squash and goat cheese mixture into the center of the dough leaving a two-inch border around the edge. Fold the border over the filling, pleating it to make it fit. The center will be open. Sprinkle the top of the filling with the remaining 2 tablespoons of herbs. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Brush the crust with egg wash.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.