The first recipe of tomato week has arrived in the form of Simple Tomato Carpaccio. This is the dish I just HAD to buy more tomatoes for, yes MORE. I wanted the colors! We eat with our eyes after all, so I took this opportunity to make the most of laying out beautiful, colorful tomatoes on a nice plate.
This recipe is essentially a play on a classic Italian tomato bruschetta or an Italian carpaccio, except vegetarian. Since this is a simple dish this is the place to break out your best ingredients. Get those heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market, that basil you’ve been growing on your porch and that olive oil you got that that fancy store and forget to use all the time. (PSA: Please use it before it goes bad!) Oh and don’t forget that nice flaky sea salt. Usually I recommend an aged balsamic for things like this, but I really liked the balsamic glaze this time because it’s thicker and easy to drizzle right from a spoon or the bottle. It’s also a bit sweeter and makes this dish pop! Buy it, or make your own.
This recipe is so simple to put together you could do it tonight for a light dinner, an appetizer, or in the place of a salad. You could make it a fancy lunch tomorrow, the choice is yours! Treat yo self to one of the best simple recipes that really showcase the fresh flavors of late summer’s tomatoes.
Simple Tomato Carpaccio
Ingredients
- 2 medium heirloom tomatoes different colors optional, add as many as you want!
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil the good stuff
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze or aged balsamic
- 1 oz parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- 5 basil leaves additional leaves for garnish if desired
- Bread for serving
Instructions
- Thinly slice your tomatoes, using a serrated knife worked best for me. Shave your parmesan directly from the block using a vegetable peeler or mandolin.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of your serving plate(s).
- Carefully layer your sliced tomatoes on top, arranging in whatever pattern you like. Tuck in a few parmesan slices and then scatter the rest on top.
- Drizzle balsamic glaze and the rest of the olive oil on top. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Just before serving prepare your chiffonade basil by stacking your leaves and rolling them together. Slice perpendicular to your roll with a sharp knife or trim into thin strips with kitchen scissors. Scatter on top of the tomatoes. Garnish with additional basil leaves if desired.
- Serve with crusty bread. Use it to soak up the dressing. Yum.
Notes
Be sure to check out the rest of Tomato Week’s content! I’ll be cooking up a storm and showcasing some of my favorite recipes to make, all starting with fresh tomatoes. Please join me by following along here or on socials! Now go get yourself some tomatoes and get cooking!