Hot Weather Days--Or More Ways To Use Summer Tomatoes

It got to 102 degrees F around here the other day. And though the temperature has diminished SLIGHTL Y, it's still too hot to do a lot of cooking. 

The heat is causing the tomatoes to ripen madly. Since I picked that first Brandywine last week, I have picked 3 more. I have lots of small, luscious "Dona" and "Enchantment" tomatoes, and dozens of a small egg shaped tomato called "Juliet" that is probably the most prolific tomato I grow.

I have picked tomatoes at least twice this week and there are still more on the vines ripening!
I'm not kvetching, I'm in heaven to have this many tomatoes. But it would be nicer to have fewer tomatoes for longer!

Still, they're here, and they have to be eaten. So I'm pulling out lots of favorites, old and new.
Two dishes I'm making this week are Italian basics. Not only do they require LOTS of perfectly ripe tomatoes, neither has to be cooked so they're perfect for hot weather.

Panzanella is also known as Tuscan bread salad. Either way, it means stale hearty bread, softened a little with water, thrown into a bowl in small bite sized chunks, mixed with tomatoes and basil, and tossed with a dressing of oil and vinegar. Then you let it set for a bit for the flavors to blend and dig in!  There are lots of variations. Many don't bother to soak the bread, but then you have to let the whole thing sit and soak for much longer. This version can be made and ready to eat within an hour.

Raw tomato sauce has always been a favorite of mine. The one here originated with Nigella Lawson's fabulous "Forever Summer", but I simplified it by not peeling the tomatoes--something I never, ever bother to do.  It means the sauce isn't mushy, but rather big fat chunks of tomato with lots of texture. The pesto is my addition as well.
Like the panzanella, this sauce needs to sit for a short time before serving. You can use other pastas besides spaghetti--I've often made this with rotini  or other twisty pastas. And nowadays I use whole wheat pastas (we like Ronzoni brand) so you are getting extra fiber along with the great flavor.

PANZANELLA 
(Adapted from a recipe from "Bon Appetit", on line HERE at Epicurious )

1 baguette (1 lb of bread), at least 1 day old
4-5 cups of really ripe tomatoes--coarsely chopped
1 small red onion--chopped
basil leaves (about 1 cup) torn into strips or chopped
1/2 cup olive oil (good olive oil should be used here,
                              but I'm damned if I'm going to use a Rachel Rayism!)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Cut the bread into 2 inch slices. Place them in a large bowl and run cool water over them just to wet them. Pour off the water and squeeze as much water as possible from the bread. Tear it into bite sized pieces and put them back in the bowl along with the tomatoes and basil. Mix well.

Mix the oil and vinegar in a small bowl (I use a measuring cup) and drizzle it over the bread/tomato mix. Toss everything thoroughly--your hands work well here. Season with pepper (and salt if you like--I don't use much salt) and set in a cool (not COLD) place for at least 1/2 hour.
Note: I added some slices of fresh mozzarella to this. And recipes often add cucumbers and peppers!

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
  (Adapted from "Spaghettini al Sugo Crudo" in Nigella Lawson's "Forever Summer")

4-8 tomatoes (enough to make about 4 cups chopped)
1/2 cup olive oil (again, use the good stuff if you have it)
1 tsp pesto (preferably homemade-link to my recipe in "The Recipe File")
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup basil leaves, torn into strips

Chop the tomatoes coarsely--no need to skin or seed. Place in a large bowl.
If you are a garlic lover, chop the garlic as finely or coarsely as you like to eat it raw. If you are not into raw garlic, just smash the clove flat with a knife handle. Add garlic to the tomatoes.
And of course, if you don't like garlic at all, this is probably the wrong blog for you to be reading....
Mix the pesto into the olive oil and pour it over the tomatoes. Set aside for at least 1/2 hour.

If you have used the smashed garlic, you can remove it at this point. Otherwise, just toss with hot pasta and enjoy!

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit