if you have been following me for any length of time, you know i'm a freak for tomatoes. if you are new, well, i'm a tomato freak. 

as a kid, i would take tomatoes to school in my lunch with a homemade salt shaker made by my mother and eat that bad boy like an apple. i would salt each bite perfectly and didn't give a rats patootie that everyone on the school lunch tables was looking at me like i was crazy.  

looking back now, there were so many signs i would be a cook someday that just didn't seem to mean much then. 

and in my older age, my love of tomatoes has only increased. i'm not really talking about the mealy, all water, no flavor type you get in the off seasons at the super markets. i'm talking about juicy, multi color, crazy shaped and sized SUMMER tomatoes. and friends, we are in the middle of tomato season. i'm in heaven. 

i had picked up a ton of tomatoes from my local produce store for my heirloom tomato & plum salad that i was making for a catering event and got lucky with a few left over. and so this tasty dish was born. you could make this for a delicious summer lunch date or as an appetizer for your next summer gathering. or hell, just for a snack like i did today. 

summer tomato + ricotta toast

serves: 2

prep time: 5 minutes

active time: 15 minutes

total time: 20 minutes

ingredients: 1 cup diced summer tomatoes (whatever you can find, bonus points if they come from someone's garden). 1 garlic clove, minced. 1 tsp lemon juice. 1 tbs fresh basil, sliced thin. .5 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp freshly ground pepper. 4 x 1 inch slices of ciabatta bread. 2 tbs butter. 4 tbs whole milk ricotta. balsamic 2 tbs balsamic glaze (my favorite is from trader joe's, but you can find balsamic glaze at most major super markets near the vinegar/salad dressings). 

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. while the oven heats, lightly butter both sides of each slice of ciabatta bread. place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes a side. until the bread is nice and toasty on the outside. while the bread is toasting, combine the tomato, lemon juice, the garlic and the salt & pepper in a medium bowl.

add in the basil and stir to combine.

when the bread is done toasting, spread 1 tbs of ricotta on each slice of bread.

top each toast with a big spoonful of the tomato mixture.

drizzle the toasts with the balsamic glaze.

serve and enjoy. 

xo, a

summer tomato + ricotta toast

serves: 2

prep time: 5 minutes

active time: 15 minutes

total time: 20 minutes

ingredients: 1 cup diced summer tomatoes (whatever you can find, bonus points if they come from someone's garden). 1 garlic clove, minced. 1 tsp lemon juice. 1 tbs fresh basil, sliced thin. .5 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp freshly ground pepper. 4 x 1 inch slices of ciabatta bread. 2 tbs butter. 4 tbs whole milk ricotta. balsamic 2 tbs balsamic glaze (my favorite is from trader joe's, but you can find balsamic glaze at most major super markets near the vinegar/salad dressings). 

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. while the oven heats, lightly butter both sides of each slice of ciabatta bread. place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes a side. until the bread is nice and toasty on the outside. while the bread is toasting, combine the tomato, lemon juice, the garlic and the salt & pepper in a medium bowl. add in the basil and stir to combine. when the bread is done toasting, spread 1 tbs of ricotta on each slice of bread. top each toast with a big spoonful of the tomato mixture. drizzle the toasts with the balsamic glaze. serve and enjoy. 

over the weekend, wes and i catered an event for my good friend lish down in laguna. it was a beautiful backyard lunch, and the food really needed to live up to its surroundings. with the invent of instagram, now more than ever, the pressure is on to produce STUNNING food. food is not just about the taste. it needs to look, smell AND taste good. not to mention, it has to be texturally pleasing. basically the only sense i don't have to stress on is hearing. the point is, i was feeling the pressure to make REALLY PRETTY food. 

the cherry on top? we had gluten free guests. so many of my normal tips and tricks had to go out the window and i had to get really creative. 

insert this tart. the oat & sunflower crust is a flavor packed alternative to the traditional flour based crust of a tart. heirloom tomatoes and basil are a no brainer summer combo, not only for their bright vibrant colors, but for their perfect flavor pairing. mix in some delicious cheese and a couple eggs and you have a sure crowd pleaser on all fronts. try to have just one piece. i dare you. 

heirloom tomato tart + oat & sunflower seed crust
serves: 8-10
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
bake time: 1 hour total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
ingredients: 1.25 cups rolled oats. .75 cup unsalted sunflower seeds. 5 tbs very cold butter, plus a bit extra for the tart pan. 3 tbs cold water. 1 tsp kosher salt, divided. 1 large or two small heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin. 5 oz herbed goat cheese. 5 oz ricotta cheese. 5 oz white cheddar, grated. 2 eggs. 2 garlic cloves, minced. .25 cup caramelized onions. 3 tbs basil leaves, divided. .25 fresh ground pepper. 9 inch round or large square tart pan. food processor. baking sheet. parchment paper. 

start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. in the bowl of your food process, blend up the oats until they are fine.

add in the sunflower seeds and once again blend until you have almost a flour like powder. 

add in half the salt and the butter, pulse until you have pea sized crumbs. 

with the food processor on, pour in the cold water till the dough has combined in the bowl of the processor. 

it may still be a bit crumbly, that's ok. lightly butter the sides and base of your tart pan. 

dump the crust dough into the tart pan. use your hands to press the dough into the shell and up the sides. 

prick the shell base with a fork and bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until it starts to turn a very light golden brown. be careful not to over cook it as the crust will have to go back into the oven. 

once your tart crust is baking, line a baking sheet with parchment and set out all your tomato slices to roast. roast the tomatoes till they are starting to dry up (we are trying to eliminate the moisture from the tomatoes). about 30 minutes. be careful not to over do the tomatoes as well. 

while the crust is baking and tomatoes are roasting, make your filling. in a medium bowl, combine the rest of the salt, the pepper, 2 tbs of basil (roughly chopped), the caramelized onions, all three cheeses and the garlic. add in the two eggs and mix everything till well combined. 

when your tomatoes are done, start to fill up your crust with the filling. top the filling with an even layer of the roasted tomatoes. 

bake till set and no longer giggly, about 15-20 minutes. 

remove from the oven and allow it to cool so you can handle it. remove the tart from the pan. use the remaining 1 tbs of basil as fresh garnish for the top of the tart, either slicing them up thin or just using leaves. whatever you prefer. slice and enjoy. 

xo, a

heirloom tomato tart + oat & sunflower seed crust
serves: 8-10
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
bake time: 1 hour
total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
ingredients: 1.25 cups rolled oats. .75 cup unsalted sunflower seeds. 5 tbs very cold butter, plus a bit extra for the tart pan. 3 tbs cold water. 1 tsp kosher salt, divided. 1 large or two small heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin. 5 oz herbed goat cheese. 5 oz ricotta cheese. 5 oz white cheddar, grated. 2 eggs. 2 garlic cloves, minced. .25 cup caramelized onions. 3 tbs basil leaves, divided. .25 fresh ground pepper. 9 inch round or large square tart pan. food processor. baking sheet. parchment paper.
start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. in the bowl of your food process, blend up the oats until they are fine. add in the sunflower seeds and once again blend until you have almost a flour like powder. add in half the salt and the butter, pulse until you have pea sized crumbs. with the food processor on, pour in the cold water till the dough has combined in the bowl of the processor. it may still be a bit crumbly, that's ok. lightly butter the sides and base of your tart pan. dump the crust dough into the tart pan. use your hands to press the dough into the shell and up the sides. prick the shell base with a fork and bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until it starts to turn a very light golden brown. be careful not to over cook it as the crust will have to go back into the oven. once your tart crust is baking, line a baking sheet with parchment and set out all your tomato slices to roast. roast the tomatoes till they are starting to dry up (we are trying to eliminate the moisture from the tomatoes). about 30 minutes. be careful not to over do the tomatoes as well. while the crust is baking and tomatoes are roasting, make your filling. in a medium bowl, combine the rest of the salt, the pepper, 2 tbs of basil (roughly chopped), the caramelized onions, all three cheeses and the garlic. add in the two eggs and mix everything till well combined. when your tomatoes are done, start to fill up your crust with the filling. top the filling with an even layer of the roasted tomatoes. bake till set and no longer giggly, about 15-20 minutes. remove from the oven and allow it to cool so you can handle it. remove the tart from the pan. use the remaining 1 tbs of basil as fresh garnish for the top of the tart, either slicing them up thin or just using leaves. whatever you prefer. slice and enjoy.