v:gourmet

It’s at this time of year that we truly experience abundance. Nature is throwing itself, full force, on the world by end of summer, exploding with fertility and growth and plenty. Visit a farmer and you’ll see the wearied look of so many tomatoes to pick, so many squash to harvest, so many beans dripping from the vine. It’s a blessed season and I try to take advantage of it by buying too many tomatoes, a full stock of squash, and as many beans as I can reasonably eat in the coming week. On the tomato front I’ve spent the day slow roasting tomatoes, making ribolitta with tomatoes, slicing fresh tomatoes on sandwiches, and prepping this cherry tomato galette for dinner tonight. Create a base of whatever tickles your fancy – pesto, olive tapenade, or herbed-ricotta if you’re a cheese eater. Smother it with fresh tomatoes. Wrap it like the present it is, from mother nature herself. Bake. And saveur the sweetness that is abundance.

1 package puff pastry

1 jar pesto

A large basket of cherry tomatoes

Sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread pesto, tapenade, or whatever you’re using as a base, on the puff pastry up to about 1/2 inch from the edges. Smoother with sliced and/or quartered cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper. Fold the edges of the puff pastry over the tomatoes. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and tomatoes are sweetly singing.