PITTSBURGH—Sweet corn, which is plentiful at farmers markets and roadside stands in August, is often touted as summer’s best vegetable. We love it because it’s so familiar—we start eating corn on the cob with plenty of butter and salt as kids, then fall in love with it all over again as adults when we discover dishes like Mexican elote salad and corn souffle.
But I'd argue the humble homegrown tomato is the true star of summer.
Plump, juicy and practically dripping with sweet, slightly acidic flavor, locally grown tomatoes are the bomb. Grown for taste and color instead of transport and picked at the peak of ripeness, they’re nothing like the hard and practically flavorless fruit from Florida you find in grocery stores the rest of the year.
Lucky for us, tomatoes are one of Pennsylvania’s largest crops, which means they’re super easy to find. The state’s growers plant more than 2,000 acres of fresh market tomatoes each year, good for 13th in the nation, according to Lancaster Farming.
A fruit by definition—but commonly referred to as a vegetable—tomatoes are also a favorite of both urban and suburban gardeners since they’re relatively easy to grow if the weather cooperates with lots of sun and not too much rain. They yield a lot of fruit in a relatively small space and if you grow from seed, there are thousands of varieties to choose from.
Originally a wild plant found in the coastal highlands of western South America, the tomato was brought to Spain in the 1500s. They were first grown in North America in 1710, according to “The Tomato in America” by Andrew F. Smith. Yet because some believed them to be poisonous, tomatoes didn’t become popular as a healthy food source until the 19th century.
Colonial cookbook author Mary Randolph was one of the first culinarians to sing the fruit’s praises and demonstrate its versatility, including 17 tomato recipes in the second edition of “The Virginia House-Wife” in 1824. It didn’t take long for other home cooks to follow suit, and soon many Americans were incorporating tomatoes into soups, sauces, side dishes and entrees.
While it’s hard to beat the classic summertime staple—a tomato sandwich on white bread with lots of mayo and a generous sprinkling of salt—there’s so much more you can do with the juicy red fruit.
As the recipes below deliciously illustrate, tomatoes can be cooked into a spicy-sweet chutney for burgers and sandwiches; slow-roasted into a jammy topping for Italian bruschetta; whirled with other summer veggies in a blender into a nutritious, low-cal summer soup; or baked into a savory pie with a saltine cracker crust.
Looking for something even quicker, or more novel? If you stick a tomato in the freezer for a couple of hours and let it freeze solid, it makes a feathery, granita-like shaved topping for fresh burrata.
Some tips on choosing tomatoes: Look for fruits that are blemish-free and have vibrant green stem and leaves. They should smell sweet, and earthy.
A good tomato will also feel heavy for its size, and give slightly when you gently press it with your finger. The best tomatoes are usually the ones that have traveled the shortest distance, and ripened the longest on the vine.
Heirloom tomatoes, which are at their peak mid- to late summer, often are the most flavorful, and come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. Orange, yellow and purple tomatoes tend to be a bit sweeter than red tomatoes.
Burrata With Frozen Tomato
PG testedServes 2-4.
- 1 ball of burrata, drained
- 1 frozen heirloom tomato
- Good quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar or glaze
- Pinch of finishing salt, such as Maldon
- Handful of fresh basil, cut into ribbons
- Toasted baguette, for serving
Using a coarse grater, grate tomato over cheese—as much or as little as you like.
Drizzle 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil over top, followed by 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar or glaze.
Sprinkle a pinch of finishing salt on top, then garnish with basil ribbons.
Serve immediately with toasted baguette.
Recipe by Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette
Slow-roasted Tomato Bruschetta
PG testedServes 4-6.
Bruschetta, one of Italy’s most popular appetizers, is often made with juicy fresh tomatoes. Here, slow-roasted cherry tomatoes add an intensely rich, sweet flavor to the topping, while grated Parmesan adds a salty, nutty finish. I like to fry the baguette slices in olive oil for an extra savory crunch, but you could simply toast the bread.
- I pound cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Generous pinch of kosher salt
- A good grind of fresh black pepper
- 1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, sliced thin
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for pan
- 1/2 baguette or ciabatta, sliced into rounds
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drizzle vinegar over the tomatoes still on the cookie sheet. Using a wooden spoon, stir to release then scrape tomatoes and juice into a bowl. Stir in basil and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside while you fry bread.
Add a glug of olive oil to a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. (I used cast iron). When oil is hot, add bread slices and fry until golden and crispy, then flip with tongs and cook for another minute. (You may have to add more oil if you do this in batches.) Remove to a platter.
Spread each slice of bread with a heaping tablespoon of roasted tomatoes. Garnish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan and serve.
Spiced Tomato Chutney
PG tested- 3 pounds tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 small yellow or red onion or 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch or two of red pepper flakes, or 1 hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until thickened to a jam-like consistency, 2 1/2 -3 hours. Transfer to sterilized glass jars and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks. For long-term storage, use a hot-water canning bath for 15 minutes.
Recipe by Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette
Roasted Tomato Pie in a Saltine Crust
PG testedServes 6.
A savory Southern tomato pie is one of summer’s best offerings. This one is made in a cheesy, saltine cracker crust, with even more cheese—mixed with mayonnaise and pimento—under a layer of fresh tomatoes. It’s on the heavy side, but pretty satisfying.
- 2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 sleeves saltine crackers (about 72 crackers), broken into pieces (about 4 cups)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup diced pimientos, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese, divided
- Fresh basil leaves, optional
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse crackers in a food processor into coarse crumbs, about 15 pulses. Add beaten eggs, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt; pulse until combined, about 20 pulses.
Lightly coat a 12-inch ceramic or metal tart pan with cooking spray. Firmly press cracker-crumb mixture evenly into bottom and up sides of pan. Bake in preheated oven until toasted, 15-20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Stir together the mayonnaise, pimientos, paprika, cayenne pepper, and 1 1/4 cups of the Cheddar cheese in a medium bowl.
Spread evenly on bottom of crust, and arrange tomatoes in a single, even layer over top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.
Place pie in oven and bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with basil, if desired.
Easy Gazpacho
PG testedServes 4-6.
- 1 English cucumber
- 2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Fresno chiles, or 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
- 1/4 small red or white onion, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Halved cherry tomatoes, for garnish
- Fresh herbs, for garnish
- Finely chop 1/4 of the cucumber and reserve for garnish.
Blend until smooth. Season to taste and chill for at least 2 hours.
Serve the soup garnished with the reserved diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, drizzles of olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.
