‘Tis the season of tomatoes

Spring has arrived and has blessed us with a plethora of fruits and vegetables. While some of them are available all year round, there is something joyous about cooking with fresh seasonal produce. Tomatoes are at the peak of their glory during this time of the year, and so, we bring you the following recipes to make some mouth-watering dishes this week.

VEGETABLE STUFFED TOMATOES (GEMISTA)

Gemista is a Greek dish that is composed of stuffed tomatoes, placed on a bed of tomato sauce. Usually, it is loaded with carbs and the stuffing includes rice, but this is a vegetable version. It can be served as the main dish for lunch or dinner. The selection of tomato for this one should be meaty, firm, and large, such as the likes of heirloom tomatoes.

Ingredients

4 large heirloom tomatoes

2 potatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper  

For the sauce —

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp salt

½ tsp crushed black pepper

½ tsp paprika powder 

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp sugar

For the filling —

½ eggplant

½ red bell pepper

6 button mushrooms

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp chopped mint

1 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1½ tsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp crushed black pepper

¾ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp dried basil 

Food and photo: Fariha Amber

Method

Chop the heads of the tomatoes and scoop the flesh from inside, leaving a thick circumference. Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges, and season these with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Puree the scooped out tomato flesh and preheat oven at 180⁰ C for 10 minutes.

For the sauce

Heat olive oil in a pan and add in sliced garlic and onions. Stir for a while until they turn aromatic and add in the crushed tomatoes. One by one, add in all the condiments and stir. The consistency should be soupy — you can adjust this by adding little amounts of water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. 

For the filling

Heat oil in a pan and add in finely chopped onions and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes and add the peeled and chopped eggplant, along with diced red bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes until tender and add the tomato puree. Throw in the seasonings and sauté for another couple of minutes until it reaches a saucy consistency. Turn off the heat and add freshly chopped herbs and mix. Stuff this mixture inside the cavities of each of the tomato.

Pour the prepared sauce in a baking dish or casserole, place the tomatoes and potatoes on it, and put on the lids of the tomatoes. Cover the top with foil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes. Serve it as is, or with rice, pasta, etc.

TOMATO PARSLEY TART

This tart is cheesy, saucy, and fresh, all in one. Bursting with the goodness of tomato in every bite, this lighter version of a pizza will leave you craving for more. Made with a combination of three types of tomatoes, this is the depiction of pure tomato goodness.

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

2 red beefsteak tomatoes

2 green beefsteak tomatoes

6-8 grape tomatoes 

5-6 black olives

4 tbsp tomato paste

¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp crushed black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 160⁰C for 10 minutes and slice the tomatoes evenly. Cover either side of the tomatoes with kitchen paper for 15 minutes to soak up their natural juices. Thaw the puff pastry and roll it out to a rectangle measuring approximately 12"x10". Brush olive oil on the surface of the baking tray and place the rolled puff pastry sheet on it. Prick the pastry sheet with a fork, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides. Spread tomato paste on the pricked surface, followed by shredded mozzarella. Place the green and red tomatoes alternately and add in the sliced grape tomatoes and olives to fill any gaps. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and chilli flakes. Let it bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes and serve hot with a generous sprinkling of fresh parsley.