Gretchen McKay | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

PITTSBURGH — Sweet corn, which is plentiful at farmers markets and roadside stands in August, is often touted as summer’s best vegetable. We love it because it’s so familiar — we start eating corn on the cob with plenty of butter and salt as kids, then fall in love with it all over again as adults when we discover dishes like Mexican elote salad and corn souffle.

But I’d argue the humble homegrown tomato is the true star of summer.

Plump, juicy and practically dripping with sweet, slightly acidic flavor, locally grown tomatoes are the bomb. Grown for taste and color instead of transport and picked at the peak of ripeness, they’re nothing like the hard and practically flavorless fruit from Florida you find in grocery stores the rest of the year.

Lucky for us, tomatoes are one of Pennsylvania’s largest crops, which means they’re super easy to find. The state’s growers plant more than 2,000 acres of fresh market tomatoes each year, good for 13th in the nation, according to Lancaster Farming.

Homegrown tomatoes come in all sizes and colors. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

A fruit by definition — but commonly referred to as a vegetable — tomatoes are also a favorite of both urban and suburban gardeners since they’re relatively easy to grow if the weather cooperates with lots of sun and not too much rain. They yield a lot of fruit in a relatively small space and if you grow from seed, there are thousands of varieties to choose from.

Originally a wild plant found in the coastal highlands of western South America, the tomato was brought to Spain in the 1500s. They were first grown in North America in 1710, according to “The Tomato in America” by Andrew F. Smith. Yet because some believed them to be poisonous, tomatoes didn’t become popular as a healthy food source until the 19th century.

Colonial cookbook author Mary Randolph was one of the first culinarians to sing the fruit’s praises and demonstrate its versatility, including 17 tomato recipes in the second edition of “The Virginia House-Wife” in 1824. It didn’t take long for other home cooks to follow suit, and soon many Americans were incorporating tomatoes into soups, sauces, side dishes and entrees.

While it’s hard to beat the classic summertime staple — a tomato sandwich on white bread with lots of mayo and a generous sprinkling of salt — there’s so much more you can do with the juicy red fruit.

As the recipes below deliciously illustrate, tomatoes can be cooked into a spicy-sweet chutney for burgers and sandwiches; slow-roasted into a jammy topping for Italian bruschetta; whirled with other summer veggies in a blender into a nutritious, low-cal summer soup; or baked into a savory pie with a saltine cracker crust.

Looking for something even quicker, or more novel? If you stick a tomato in the freezer for a couple of hours and let it freeze solid, it makes a feathery, granita-like shaved topping for fresh burrata.

Some tips on choosing tomatoes: Look for fruits that are blemish-free and have vibrant green stem and leaves. They should smell sweet, and earthy.

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A good tomato will also feel heavy for its size, and give slightly when you gently press it with your finger. The best tomatoes are usually the ones that have traveled the shortest distance, and ripened the longest on the vine.

Heirloom tomatoes, which are at their peak mid- to late summer, often are the most flavorful, and come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. Orange, yellow and purple tomatoes tend to be a bit sweeter than red tomatoes.

Tomatoes will continue to ripen on your counter, especially if you place them in a brown paper bag. That’s also where you should store them, as your refrigerator will make them mealy and cut the flavor.

Like it fast and easy? Shave a frozen tomato over fresh burrata for a light summer appetizer. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Burrata with Frozen Tomato

PG tested

This summer appetizer, which has been making the rounds on TikTok in various iterations, is so simple and refreshing. To add that extra oomph, you’ll want to use really good olive oil and a quality balsamic vinegar. To freeze tomatoes for grating, wash and dry and place on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Place in freezer and freeze until solid, around 6 hours or overnight.

1 ball of burrata, drained
1 frozen heirloom tomato
Good quality extra-virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar or glaze
Pinch of finishing salt, such as Maldon
Handful of fresh basil, cut into ribbons
Toasted baguette, for serving

Place ball of burrata on a pretty serving plate or platter. Cut a small wedge out of the top to make it easier to spread.

Using a coarse grater, grate tomato over cheese — as much or as little as you like.

Drizzle 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil over top, followed by 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar or glaze.

Sprinkle a pinch of finishing salt on top, then garnish with basil ribbons.

Serve immediately with toasted baguette.

Serves 2-4.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Slow-roasted Tomato Bruschetta

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Bruschetta, one of Italy’s most popular appetizers, is often made with juicy fresh tomatoes. Here, slow-roasted cherry tomatoes add an intensely rich, sweet flavor to the topping, while grated Parmesan adds a salty, nutty finish. I like to fry the baguette slices in olive oil for an extra savory crunch, but you could simply toast the bread.

For topping

I pound cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Generous pinch of kosher salt
A good grind of fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup basil leaves, sliced thin

For bruschetta

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for pan
1/2 baguette or ciabatta, sliced into rounds
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare topping: In a large bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and grind of pepper, and toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast in the preheated oven until tender and caramelized, 30-35 minutes.

Drizzle vinegar over the tomatoes still on the cookie sheet. Using a wooden spoon, stir to release then scrape tomatoes and juice into a bowl. Stir in basil and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside while you fry bread.

Add a glug of olive oil to a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. (I used cast iron). When oil is hot, add bread slices and fry until golden and crispy, then flip with tongs and cook for another minute. (You may have to add more oil if you do this in batches.) Remove to a platter.

Spread each slice of bread with a heaping tablespoon of roasted tomatoes. Garnish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan and serve.

Serves 4-6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Gently spiced with cinnamon, ginger and red chili, this tomato chutney pairs great with cheese and also is a punch alternative to ketchup for burgers. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Spiced Tomato Chutney

PG tested

This sweet and gently spiced chutney is perfect for dolloping on cheese or spreading on sandwiches or burgers for a bit of tomato-y kick.

3 pounds tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 small yellow or red onion or 1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Pinch or two of red pepper flakes, or 1 hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place tomatoes and other ingredients into a large saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until thickened to a jam-like consistency, 2 1/2 -3 hours. Transfer to sterilized glass jars and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks. For long-term storage, use a hot-water canning bath for 15 minutes.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

This Southern tomato pie is built on a cheesy, saltine cracker crust. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Roasted Tomato Pie in a Saltine Crust

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A savory Southern tomato pie is one of summer’s best offerings. This one is made in a cheesy, saltine cracker crust, with even more cheese — mixed with mayonnaise and pimento — under a layer of fresh tomatoes. It’s on the heavy side, but pretty satisfying.

Be sure to salt and drain the tomatoes before topping the pie to remove as much liquid as possible. And definitely allow it to cool before slicing to allow the pie to set up.

2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 sleeves saltine crackers (about 72 crackers), broken into pieces (about 4 cups)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup diced pimientos, drained and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese, divided
Fresh basil leaves, optional

This Southern tomato pie is built on a cheesy, saltine cracker crust. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Place tomatoes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle both sides evenly with 1/2 teaspoon each of the pepper and salt. Cover with more paper towels, and press lightly. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse crackers in a food processor into coarse crumbs, about 15 pulses. Add beaten eggs, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt; pulse until combined, about 20 pulses.

Lightly coat a 12-inch ceramic or metal tart pan with cooking spray. Firmly press cracker-crumb mixture evenly into bottom and up sides of pan. Bake in preheated oven until toasted, 15-20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Stir together the mayonnaise, pimientos, paprika, cayenne pepper, and 1 1/4 cups of the Cheddar cheese in a medium bowl.

Spread evenly on bottom of crust, and arrange tomatoes in a single, even layer over top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.

Place pie in oven and bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Serves 6.

— adapted from southernliving.com

One of summer’s easiest soups, gazpacho is made in a blender. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Easy Gazpacho

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All you need to make this simple, refreshing summer soup is a blender. For a spicier soup, add more jalapeno or red pepper. Best served in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers.

1 English cucumber
2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 Fresno chiles, or 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
1/4 small red or white onion, peeled and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Halved cherry tomatoes, for garnish
Fresh herbs, for garnish

Finely chop 1/4 of the cucumber and reserve for garnish.

Peel the remaining cucumber, cut into chunks and transfer to a blender. Add tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Blend until smooth. Season to taste and chill for at least 2 hours.

Serve the soup garnished with the reserved diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, drizzles of olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4-6.

— loveandlemons.com

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