Tomatoes, Tomahtoes… however one pronounces it, there’s no denying they are an essential ingredient! Since the Nine Days are quickly approaching, I decided to showcase two ways of pairing tomatoes with delicious dairy. My 22-month son calls a tomato a “mana” and will devour anything in sight with “manas” on them. They’re bright, flavorful and pair extremely well with dairy. Kosher.com was having a “summer on a stick” contest on Instagram, a forum for showcasing something yummy you could eat on a stick. I entered my own original idea of caprese salad on a stick. It’s a light, healthy and delicious snack-on-the-go and I’ve decided to share it with my readers. This week, I made another beautiful dish using farmer’s market finds. It was a cheddar cheese heirloom tomato tart. Not only is this a delightful side dish, appetizer, or main, it’s breathtakingly beautiful to look at! As my toddler would say, “more manas please!” #knowledgeisknowingthatatomatoisafruit #wisdomisnotputtingitinafruitsalad
Caprese Salad Sticks
Ingredients
1 ball fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 container cherry tomatoes
1 package fresh basil
Balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Using wooden skewers, layer the tomatoes, cheese, and basil on sticks. Pour some balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it has been reduced in half into a syrupy texture. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the skewers, along with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Enjoy!
Cheddar Heirloom Tomato Tart
Ingredients
1 package of phyllo dough
½ stick of butter, melted
½ bag shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint colorful heirloom tomatoes
2 heaping tbsp whipped cream cheese
2 heaping tbsp light mayo
Chopped fresh scallions
2-3 fresh basil leaves
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Directions
Brush each piece of phyllo dough with melted butter. Stack about 10 pieces on top of each other and lay flat on a baking sheet to form a crust.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Mix the cream cheese, mayo, scallions, chopped basil, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Coat a thin layer of filling over the phyllo dough, leaving 1/2 an inch border as a crust.
Cut the heirloom tomatoes in half, salt them, and lay out on paper towels to drain. Pat the tomatoes dry of excess juices, then arrange in a pretty pattern on top of the cream cheese mixture.
Top with some extra salt and pepper and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Enjoy!