Put Tomatoes On Your Table

Late summer is typically tomato season in many areas, so now would be the perfect time to enjoy this fruit.

In the continuing series with Williams-Sonoma, cooking teacher and author Tori Ritchie teaches about the tomato, an old-fashioned favorite that's gained popularity in recent years.

Heirloom tomatoes are the old-fashioned varieties ripened naturally on the vine. They come in a range of colors and sizes, with far more flavor and thinner skins than supermarket tomatoes. The popularity of these tomatoes has boomed in recent years, due in part to their visibility at farmers' markets.

Try Ritchie's recipes for Farmers' Market Tomato Salad, Capellini With Fresh Tomatoes And Basil, and Tomato-Rubbed Bread, found in page 2.

Here are her tips before you start:

Farmers' Market Tomato Salad:

• Use perfectly ripe tomatoes. Look for ones that are fragrant and give gently to pressure. Never refrigerate whole tomatoes.
• The best way to slice the tomatoes is to use a tomato knife: Its serrated edge cuts through the skin much more easily and the tip is used to core.
• Soak the onion in milk to make it less strong and easier to digest.

• To seed an heirloom tomato, cut it in half crosswise (through the "Equator") and gently squeeze out the seed sacs while placing your fingers in the holes to keep the tomato from collapsing.
• To seed a plum tomato, cut in half lengthwise and remove seed sacs with a knife.

• Rub the side of grilled bread with garlic first, then tomato, and then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Ritchie likes to sprinkle on salt, too.

Ingredients:
1 very small yellow onion, cut into paper-thin slices
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 English (hothouse) cucumber, peeled and cut crosswise into thin slices
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Handful of fresh cherry tomatoes
Method:

1. Place the onion slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Pour the milk over the onion and let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper to form a vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
3. Arrange the tomato and cucumber slices on a plate. Drain the onion slices and pat dry with paper towels. Scatter the onions atop the tomatoes and cucumbers. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, top with the basil leaves and cherry tomatoes and serve.

Capellini With Fresh Tomatoes And Basil
Serves 4

Also known as angel hair pasta, capellini is at its best tossed with a simple sauce of chopped fresh tomatoes, basil and fruity extra-virgin olive oil.

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lb. plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. dried capellini

Method:

1. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the olive oil, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, and stir until blended. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot two-thirds full of water to a boil. Add salt and the capellini and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (tender but firm to the bite). Drain the pasta, add it to the tomato sauce and toss to mix. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Divide the pasta among individual bowls and serve immediately.

Tomato-Rubbed Bread
Serves 4

Bread and tomato - How something so simple and apparently artless could have come to such importance is one of the mysteries of Catalan food. More than just a dish, tomato-rubbed bread, or pa amb tomàquet, is a sign of national identity. Although it can be served year-round, it is particularly good in summer, when tomatoes are ripe, sweet and full of color, and in winter, when fresh olive oil is running off the presses and still has its fruity taste and golden color. Pa amb tomàquet makes a brilliant party food when served with salamis, pâtés and cheeses.

Ingredients
1 ciabatta or 8 slices coarse country white bread, preferably sourdough, about 1/2 lb. total
4 garlic cloves, halved (optional)
4 small, ripe tomatoes, about 1/3 lb. total
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill, preheat a gas grill to high or preheat a broiler.
2. If using ciabatta, slice it crosswise into 4 to 6 pieces, then cut each piece in half horizontally. Place the bread on the grill rack or on a baking sheet. Grill or broil, turning once until golden brown on both sides - about 2 minutes per side.
3. While the toasts are still warm, rub them on one side with the cut sides of the garlic halves. Cut each tomato in half. Rub the cut sides of the tomato halves on top of the toasts until only the skins are left, then discard the skins. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. If using sliced sourdough, cut the toasts in half. Pile up all the toasts on a serving platter or in a shallow bowl and serve.