Tomatoes 3 Ways

Today was a day of tomatoes! First by processing 20 of the 40 pounds of tomatoes I ordered from Tide Mill Farm. First I put them in the food processor to make a pulp perfect for turning into hot sauce and tomato sauce. Those simmered away all afternoon and then my mother turned me onto the idea of making Pam Smith's Tomato Tart! I then considered making a Caprese Salad, but thought "oh no, that will be much too much tomato." But with such a bumper crop year and the short window of time we get to eat sweet fresh tomatoes, why not create an ode to them? And then the thought came to me... Tomatoes THREE ways! That would make it a real dinner to believe in. What to make for the third tomato???

I turned to me cookbook shelf and looked under tomato, The Red Cookbook, The Best Recipe Cookbook, The Moosewood and then old Julia had the answer.... STUFFED tomatoes! Yum, yum! It was on.

I made the tart, I made the caprese and I stuffed those tomatoes and while I was at Zumba Raf very lovingly put the plump tomato pods into the oven while Ceci screamed her head off. And I came home to a crying baby and hot squishy tomatoes. (poor Raf, she'd never cried like that before!)

"It's the trifecta!" Rafi proclaimed, while Cecilia hollered at her toy on the table. First you start with the nice cool, refreshing Caprese Salad, then a step up to the room temp mustardy sweet tart and on to the satisfyingly warm and gooey stuffed tomato. Very delicious.

TOMATO TART:
Crumb:
1 1/4 C. white flour
pinch salt
1/3 C. butter
Mix in:
1 egg slightly beaten
This dough should be very crumbly, simply push it into a pie plate or springform pan and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400.
After 30 minutes spread tart dough with:
1/4 C. yummy mustard
Arrange on top:
ripe tomato slices cut into 1/3 inch pieces.
Bake for 40 minutes. When the tart comes out of the oven drizzle with:
1/4 C. olive oil
1 t. dried tarragon
2 t. minced garlic
salt & pepper
Allow to cool and consume at room temperature!