These tomatoes are so gosh darn simple to make, I’m almost embarrassed to post it as a “recipe”. Almost. If they weren’t so outrageously good, on top of being easy, and absolutely the perfect thing for right now when the basil is overflowing and the tomatoes are just turning the perfect rosy red, just as August is dawning bright and bold . . . well, then I just wouldn’t bother you with this at all.
So believe me when I say you must make these. I won’t even insist that you make your own pesto–although, really, it is SO much better with the fresh, non-jarred, stuff. Basil loses a lot of it’s fragrant personality when you jar it and add preservatives. I’m just sayin’.
These tomatoes are a perfect side to almost any meal, especially of the grilled variety. We plopped them down next to a lovely grilled sirloin with roasted garlic butter and corn, grilled simply with olive oil and black pepper. I’ve been making these for so many years now, I can’t remember where I came across the idea. Maybe my South Beach Diet phase? Hard to say. Just say “yummy”, that’s all you need to know.
Happy mid-summer bounty to you!
Pesto Topped Tomatoes
- medium tomatoes, one per person
- pesto, fresh or purchased
- parmesan cheese
Slice about a quarter inch off the top of each tomato and core out just a bit of the center–or a lot of the center, if you like a lot of pesto. Place on a baking sheet. If your tomato seems to want to roll around on the baking sheet, you can also slice off a bit of the bottom to flatten it out. Top the tomato with a tablespoon (or several tablespoons, if you are my husband) of pesto, filling in the cored area and spreading across the cut top. Sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese. Place under your oven broiler and broil several minutes, until cheese and pesto are bubbly and melted. Serve immediately!
August 21, 2009 at 5:01 am |
You are right. This is easy but for a tomato and basil fan, it is a winner.