By David Harbilas

Years ago I had a terrible job that had the benefit of a very flexible schedule and a minimum of supervision, which meant we could cook anything we liked for ourselves.

One of my co-workers, Sarah Parker, who I have since lost touch with, used to make this pizza, which is not for the diet conscious.

The topping is essentially a cream sauce made with tomatoes, pesto and parmesan cheese, and when baked on the crust it browns and melts into a gooey mess.

This is probably the least healthy pizza I’ve ever eaten, yet it is incredibly delicious and reminds me of an old friend.

Serves 4

1 pizza crust, about 16”
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup pesto Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

During Victorian times, tomatoes were referred to as “Love Apples.”

Why, I really do not know maybe it is due to some of the variety names or just the fact that they look like apples.

Regardless of the reason, tomatoes can be turned into your own love adornment for your love one with a little effort.

To begin this process, one must first get the perfect tomato. While I always like to buy in season and hyperlocally, I do consciously splurge during this season. Even though I am going outside my locality, I always look for organic tomatoes when possible.

These tomatoes must meet four criteria. They must not be Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Pizza seems to be so synonymous with our misunderstanding of Italian cuisine that to even think that it has a Turkish version is a surprise, to say the least.

Yet when we think of pizza–a crust topped with tomato sauce, cheese and any number of other toppings–we hardly think of something that might resemble a tart.

Lamacun (pronounced LA-ma-joon) is a very thin crust “pizza” topped with a mixture of ground meat, tomatoes, peppers and onions.

The mixture, which is incredibly easy to make, relies on a balance of sweet and spicy flavors, and tomatoes provide just the right amount of sugar.

Turks eat this topped with slices of tomato, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a few leaves of mixed greens or sliced scallions. But it is equally good on its own. Serve it in small sizes, as an hors d’oeuvre, or in a larger version for a full meal.

Serves 4

1 pizza crust, about 16” in diameter, rolled out as thin as possible
½ pound ground beef
2 tomatoes Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

The Turks have a wonderful appetizer called borek, which is similar to the Greek tiropita.

In both, feta cheese is wrapped with filo and baked (in the Greek version) or fried (in the Turkish version).

Here, I’ve added roasted tomato to the filling and opted for the fried version, since the cheese melts while the pastry fries.

This is a rustic but elegant hors d’oevre and is best served on its own, though it doesn’t hurt to dip it into something like a basil pesto or salsa verde.

Makes about 20 pastries

1 package of phyllo dough
3 plum tomatoes
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

This tart is similar to a quiche, except that the garnishes (or vegetables) are pureed into the custard.

This makes it a bit more refined, given the smooth texture.

Serve it as an appetizer or lunch, with a small salad and a glass of wine.

If you don’t like feta, try goat cheese or even ricotta–though you have to let the ricotta sit in cheesecloth overnight to remove all the moisture or the tart will not set properly.

Makes 1 tart, 10”

1 prepared 10 inch tart shell
2 globe variety tomatoes
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

This is a simple sauce that gets the best results from prepared artichokes.

Most prepared vegetables are junk and best ignored.

But artichokes, in my opinion, are quite good from a jar, tasting briny and sweet.

They’re also incredibly tender, which helps to make this sauce so easy.

Since artichokes have such a delicate flavor they are best paired with just a little tomato, which should act more like a seasoning. Given the subtle flavor of this sauce it would be best to serve it with lighter proteins like chicken or fish, or pasta.

Makes about 3 cups

1 jar of artichokes
2 tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream Read the rest of this entry »