Our beautiful market stall

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!  Do I sound redundant?  We are picking, sorting, eating and breathing tomatoes!  We see tomatoes in our sleep.  It’s been wicked busy here at the farm.  I’ve been going to market on Wednesdays and Fridays by myself, while Val stays at the farm picking more tomatoes.  Saturday we go together as it’s non stop at market…one selling, one stocking.  You would think we would have our fill by the end of the week, but not on your life.  Now it’s time to put up the larder!

We are roasting, dehydrating, canning sauce and chopped tomatoes, as well as making salsa, to be used during the late fall and winter months.  It is a total labor of love and one of the things that brought us together….our time in the kitchen.  Yet there is one thing that I make each summer that in my view is the reason for the season.  Just the thought of it will put a smile on my face and a song in my heart:  Uncooked Tomato Sauce!  I remember when I made it for the first time, about 25 years ago, how shocked I was by how just five simple ingredients could yield such an incredible flavor, but don’t be fooled! The paste tomatoes are just coming on, so I’ll make it as often as I can squeeze the time in to do it. And since I’m doing something that is a little labor intensive, I’ll make enough to change some into bruchetta.  On the days when the sweat is pouring off my face, I remember this is my reward!

My beauties!

Uncooked Tomato Sauce:

• 18 heirloom plum (paste) tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 to 1 cup good quality olive oil
• 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 8 0z pasta of your choice

Patience is a virtue...waiting for the sauce to meld

1. Put all ingredients except pasta in a glass or pottery bowl.  Let stand a minimum of 4-6 hours for the sauce to meld.  This allow for the salt to break down the tomatoes slightly and bleed into the olive oil.
2. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain.  Place in pasta bowl and pour sauce over warm pasta.  Serve immediately with lots of crusty Italian bread to sop up every bit of summer!

OMG!!

Brickyard Farms Crostini:

To one recipe of fresh tomato sauce add the following:

• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp capers, drained
• 3 Tbsp kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

Spread on grilled or toasted French or Italian bread.  Allow the juice to soak in.

The next best thing to uncooked tomato sauce

Good food is good for the soul!