You remember how it goes:
A bottle of red, a bottle of white -
It all depends on your appetite.
I'll meet you any time you want
In our Italian restaurant.
With the tomato crop booming in our side yard right now (much more affordable than actual landscaping), we are inspired to invent variations on our favorite Italian dishes. Each time we visit Italy, we are enamored with Tuscany, truffles and time-honored food traditions. It's more affordable to journey through Italian meals at home than through the Italian countryside at present, though.
Which reminds us of another journey.....and not the one from the '80's that brought us time honored Junior High slow dance music such as "Faithfully." It's the journey to preserve Indiana grown produce at its peak in preparation for the cold winter months ahead (El Nino, say it ain't so). It's easy to romanticize the joy of opening a can of well preserved-tomatoes in the dead of winter and savoring its summery essence on a snowy winter day. That would be roughly akin to telling you about the joys of children without the pain of childbirth.
Speaking of which, we definitely birthed the mother load of tomatoes this year. The pain of the experience is still fresh in my mind, in fact......mostly because we've spent many August mornings and evenings canning tomatoes. Every time I turn around, another counter is covered with a different type of tomato: German Pink, Cherokee Purple, Yellow Stripe, Yellow Pear or grape tomatoes. They are mating like crazed lovers, which makes me wonder if some of them are sipping our martinis when we aren't looking.
We did learn a valuable lesson about canning this year, though, which is that it's best shared with friends. We say this for two reasons. First, friends who are canning rookies believe this will be a fun experience, which means you can expertly direct their vigor toward tasks you detest, such as turning the crank on the food mill, doing dishes and stuffing blue cheese in the olives (because, after all, if the tomatoes are drinking martinis, shouldn't you?). Second, canning with friends is a great way to reminisce about your childhood when your family actually canned food. Remember those days? You got one job (hopefully licking the spoons - even if your mom didn't know you assigned yourself this job). Thom E was so excited about teaching friends to can, he even hosted a canning day at the school (though in retrospect, it may have been a ploy to miss the first half of a couples' bridal shower).
Well, in conclusion, we offer two great ways below to enjoy your tomato treasures while they are still ripe. Next, we remind you to can early and often. And, finally, you can meet us any time you want at our Italian restaurant. Mangia! Mangia!
Mediterranean Tomato Treats
1 medium eggplant (any variety you can buy locally will work)
Pita Bread (large or mini - If you live in Indianapolis, check out www.indyethnicfoods.com to identify local sources)
Assorted fresh tomatoes, diced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Greek style feta cheese, diced (or the rough equivalent from your local farm)
Assorted fresh tomatoes, diced
Fresh Basil leaves, chiffonade
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly coat eggplant in olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Roast eggplant 20-25 minutes or until skin is brown and pulp is soft. Remove from oven. Cool completely. Remove stem and skin from eggplant. Puree in a blender or food processor.
Brush pita bread with olive oil. Toast lightly. Spread toasted pita with eggplant puree. Top with cheese and tomatoes. Season to taste. Garnish with basil, if desired.
Garlicky Cherry Tomato & Bread Gratin
1- 5 oz. piece day old Baguette with crust, cut into 1" cubes (about five cups)
1 1/2 lbs. small cherry tomatoes
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan (or Parmesan style - buy local!) cheese
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 10" ceramic quiche dish. Toss bread with other ingredients. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature
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