Insalata caprese with Purple Cherokee heirloom tomatoes All year I look forward to the brief period when the tomatoes are good enough to eat insalata caprese several times a week. Because it is made with only 5 ingredients, and you don't cook them, the greatness is completely determined by their quality. This calls for the finest, ripest heirloom tomatoes you can lay your hands on, sweet & milky fresh mozarella, superb olive oil, flaky sea salt, and fragrant basil. The one in the picture above was made with Purple Cherokees and a handful of mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes. Besides being incredibly tasty, it goes together in 3 minutes flat. So what are you waiting for? Insalata CapreseVegetarian and Gluten-free; not veganServes 4 2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and sliced about 3/8 - 1/4" thick optional: handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes 2-3 large balls of fresh mozzarella, preferably buffalo mozzarella, sliced a little thinner best quality extra virgin olive oil, preferably fruity sea salt (Maldon is ideal) 4-5 leaves of fresh basil, chiffonade or tear Arrange all of the tomatoes in a single layer on serving platter. Top each slice with a piece of cheese. Drizzle everything with a generous...

Pasta with eggplant and fresh tomatoes, in homage to Norma Yep, it is summer and the whole deal is to do as little to the beautiful ingredients as possible. This dish is kind of a reinterpreted Pasta alla Norma, a classic Sicilian dish. By reinterpreted I mean: I didn't have ricotta salata, and I wanted to use fresh tomatoes. So sue me. This would also be insanely good with some lascivious chunks of fresh mozzarella. Be sure and use a medium-sized, shaped pasta for this. If you try and use a strand like spaghetti, the vegetables won't mix in with it and it just gets irritating to eat. If you are enjoying this recipe, why not subscribe and keep up with our updates? Pasta With Eggplant And Fresh TomatoesServes 4Vegetarian; not gluten-free; vegan if you omit the cheese 2 medium eggplants, large dice 1 onion, medium dice 1 small sprig rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped 4 tablespoons canola oil (or other high heat vegetable oil) 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes 2/3 cup pitted black olives (Kalamata for example), halved 1 lb. strozzapetti or other moderate size shaped pasta 1 large or...

Got home from work at 5:30 and the block party / potluck was called for 6:00. Two crazy kids meant I had about 5 minutes to put something together, but I wasn't about to settle for bland. Last year I brought empanadas, so we have a reputation to uphold! Easy potluck recipes are a dime a dozen, but the challenge here was to deliver one with big flavors. I raided the pantry and refrigerator and made this chickpea-based salad with a Mediterranean approach. I think it went over well, since it was all gone quickly. As you toss it, the crumbled feta dissolves a little bit and makes a creamy dressing. This recipe really shows why it is such a good idea to keep your pantry stocked with things like cans of chickpeas, roasted peppers, and good olive oil. When you don't have time to do much cooking, you can still get something great on the table. Or in this case, on the street. You could easily add or substitute other herbs (tarragon or dill would be nice), olives, green beans, artichoke hearts, or just about any vegetable. Chickpea Salad With Feta CheeseVegetarian and gluten-free; not veganServes 12 as a...