Tomato Bread

tomato bread It may be the last days of summer but there are plenty of tomatoes still available and they still taste amazing. I see cherry tomatoes everywhere and they are just perfect for my tomato bread.

Even in the dead of winter you could still make this tomato bread because quite honestly somehow they taste pretty decent, either that or I’m just desperate.

tomato bread This bread is so fun to make, it’s SUPER easy and tastes off the charts and the bonus is the pretty presentation, so what’s not to like?

Take a skinny baguette, cut it in half lengthwise and make a trench right down the middle by pulling out some of the bread then you’ll be able to easily place your tomatoes in there securely.

I like using a skinny baguette but I was thinking you could use a wider one, why not? just make more trenches. You could even cut a large ciabatta loaf and dot the tomatoes all around in little trenches, use your imagination.

tomato bread Prepare a foil lined baking sheet, drizzle the bottom with olive oil, set your tomatoes stem side down then drizzle each piece of bread all over with olive oil including the tomatoes.

Take some shredded mozzarella and place it randomly all over the sliced baguette, less is more, then grind some black pepper all around.

Place them into a heated 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes or so, the bread will crisp, the mozzarella will be golden brown and the tomatoes will wrinkle and burst, and the best part is the juice will drip into the crusty bread, oh my!

tomato bread Garnish it with finely chopped basil of course because that’s a must, then I guarantee that after your first bite you will shout out the words OMG!

tomato bread

Here’s a “toast” literally, to the end of summer!

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What to do with an over abundance of veggies!!

I just can’t resist buying veggies this time of year, I’m happy when my frig is stocked full of them, but I think I went a little overboard this past week! Knowing I had a busy week and weekend ahead I knew I had to cook these up, so I decided to fire up my grill.

I call this a Grilled Vegetable Torte, it’s so easy to prepare, it has a WOW presentation, and it goes fantastic with grilled meats. After grilling your veggies, which have all been brushed with olive oil, salt and pepper, layer them into an oiled spring form pan, any size will do it just depends how many veggies you have.

Each layer a different color, a different veg that is topped off with shredded parm or in this case pecorino romano, you might want to put a few basil leaves in between too. Repeat untill you get to the top. Press veggies down.

Cover and wrap the bottom of your pan with foil and place on a baking sheet in a 400F oven.
Bake for about a half hour, giving it enough time to melt the cheese which acts like “glue” and holds the veggies together when you slice it. Let it cool, unmold and eat it at room temperature. Garnish with shredded romano or your favorite cheese on top.

Don’t cut your veggies into small pieces, you’ll want to cut them into nice big slices it’s easier to layer that way.

Believe me it cuts into perfect wedges, just use a sharp serrated knife and take your time, pulling it out with a pie spatula. I would have showed you a wedge but I took this whole thing to a friends house for lunch, minus my camera.

Adding some grilled veggies and ripe tomatoes to orzo pasta along with fresh herbs and grilled shrimp tossed in a fresh lemon and olive oil dressing, makes this a light summer pasta salad.

Tomato Bread, this has great flavor and goes with just about anything! Take a good quality baguette, and scoop out a well down the middle, stick in some grape tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven till tomatoes are soft around 30 min. When the tomatoes pop the juice runs into the bread and flavors it. Garnish with fresh basil.
Hope these ideas help you out a little in using up any of your veggies you have laying around!
Buon Appetito!!

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