Happy August Farm-ily! Can you feel the change in the air and the shift of where the sun sits in the sky? Summer is nearly half way through and the cooler nights are lovely, if only fleeting.
Our bountiful summer harvest continues and we declare this to be the best tomato season ever at Oak Spring! You will see plenty of tomatoes in your share this week so gather those recipes for tomato pie, homemade sauce and fresh salsa. This is the week to buy extra tomatoes too-add some more tomatoes to your cart and savor the taste of summer. Coming to pick up at the farm? Buy a 10 or 20 pound box for half price for CSA members! I have been making sauce in the crock pot and 'putting it up'. I blew the dust of the water bath canner and got to work. We have a pressure canner too but I'm old school and decided the water bath canner works just fine for me.
Want some inspiration for all this summer bounty? Check out the Oak Spring Farm-ily FB page and weigh in on your favorites or add a favorite recipe of your own! Let's help support each other (and especially our newbie CSA members) to use all our produce and stash some away for winter.
There's a new tomato coming in I didn't talk about last week.Cherokee Green. I LOVE these green when ripe tomatoes. A cousin to Cherokee Purple its sweet, bright and delicate flavor is devine on fresh bread for a super yummy tomato sandwich treat. You'll know they're ripe by feel and for it's slight golden yellow hue that accompanies the green. Keep a look out for one in your bag this week.
Cheese share: smoked cheddar
fruit share: peaches -with melons soon to come-
Storage tip of the week:
Tomatoes are super ripe? Make a big tomato salad that will store in the refrigerator that you can eat with multiple meals. Or slice them and roast them (like in the tomato pie recipe below) and store them in the fridge or freezer!
Recipe of the week:
Heirloom Tomato Pie
This recipe is from the Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook gifted to me from a long time friend residing in the state.
Tomatoes
5 medium-large mixed heirloom tomatoes (about 2.5 pounds) tough cores removed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
Crust
1 and 1/4 cup AP flour, plus more for rolling
1/4 tsp kosher salt
6 Tbls (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
4 Tbls ice water -more or less
Filling
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 and 1/2 c (about 5 oz) shredded fontina cheese (or try one of the Daily Crisis raw milk cheeses)
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 200F. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with oil and salt to taste and bake for 2 hours. Set aside too cool.
3. Meanwhile, make the crust. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. With a pastry blender or fork (I use my food processor), cut the butter into the flour until just crumbly. Add the water, 1 tables at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disk. wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the disk into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9 inch deep dish pie plate or 9 inches tart pan with 2-inch sides and removable bottom. Using your fingers, press back into the crust any pieces of dough the tmay have fallen off. Trim the excess dough just at the level of the edge of the pie plate. With a fork, pierce the bottom of the crust. place the crust in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the over again to 350F. Place the pie crust on a baking sheet, line the dough with foil, and fill with dried beans. Bake the crust until the edges are golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
6. To add the fillings: Increase the temperature to 375F. Gently pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Arrange a layer of the tomato slices; overlapping as needed in the bottom of the pie shell. Spread a thin even layer of the mayo over the top; then sprinkle evenly with 1.5 Tbls of the basil and about 1/2 c of the cheese. Repeat the layering ending with any leftover cheese.
7. Bake until the tomato, cheese, and the crust are golden brown, about 1 hour. Let rest for 1 hour. Garnish with basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut into slices and serve warm.
Note: the pie can also be made with a double crust.
Bon Appetit!
