What to do with all these tomatos? Recipes?

A well-meaning friend of mine gave me some really beautiful beefsteak, cherry, and plum tomatos from his garden. The problem is that I just can't stand raw fresh tomatos, but I took them anyway because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I like most sauces made out of cooked tomatos, but there probably aren't enough of them to actually make a pot of pasta sauce. He gave me maybe 6 beefsteaks and a pint bag of the small ones.

So...do you all have any favorite tomato recipes?

Do you like salsa?

LOL, that's what I was going to suggest Karen!

Quick, easy and delicious...

Cut tomatoes in bite-sized pieces, sprinkle generously with sugar and freshly ground black pepper, saute in several tablespoons of butter (or olive oil) over high heat for a minute or so, until they start releasing their juice, then turn heat down to simmer for a few minutes while pasta is cooking, stiring occasionally. While pasta is draining, add a good handful of fresh basil coarsely chopped, and a few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan, and then the pasta. Toss to coat, serve garnished with a little parmesan and a leaf or two of basil.

Also great on scrambled eggs.

I'm usually in the same fix you are in and I have a wonderful solution.

This is an authentic Italian recipe from my friend whose MIL taught her to cook and it is very simple but really delicious. It's one of my family's favourite.

Heat some butter and/or olive oil in a regular deepish fry pan. Add about 1/2 a chopped onion and saute until the onion sweats (goes clear and not brown). Add the fresh chopped tomatoes (I peel and chop the tomatoes fairly fine - you don't have to peel but I don't like the peel in my sauce), Then add fresh chopped basil to taste, salt and pepper. (I use about 2-3 tbsps freshly chopped basil but if you don't have fresh you can substitute dried but only use about 1 level teaspoon of dried.)

Let it simmer and cook down for about 45 minutes.

Serve it with Penne and Broccoli or Spagettini and green beans and it's excellent.

When the Penne is about 3-4 minutes from being cooked, I add the broccoli florets to the Penne. Drain and serve with the sauce.

If using green beans with spaghettini (I actually prefer Angel Hair), cook the green beans until 3-4 minutes from done and add the spaghettini/angel hair. Naturally the type of pasta you use will determine when to add the other ingredients. Angel hair takes only a couple minutes whereas spaghetti noodles would take longer.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese as well.

Send em to me and I will slice them up and eat 'em for ya!!

Originally Posted by rapunzel47

Quick, easy and delicious...

Cut tomatoes in bite-sized pieces, sprinkle generously with sugar and freshly ground black pepper, saute in several tablespoons of butter (or olive oil) over high heat for a minute or so, until they start releasing their juice, then turn heat down to simmer for a few minutes while pasta is cooking, stiring occasionally. While pasta is draining, add a good handful of fresh basil coarsely chopped, and a few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan, and then the pasta. Toss to coat, serve garnished with a little parmesan and a leaf or two of basil.

Also great on scrambled eggs.

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Great minds think alike (and fools seldom differ)!

Originally Posted by Phenomsmom

Send em to me and I will slice them up and eat 'em for ya!!

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Or to me!

Seriously, though, I've never tried this, but I'm told you can freeze them in the peels. This only works if you want to cook them, but it sounds like you won't eat them raw anyway.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Great minds think alike (and fools seldom differ)!

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I was thinking that, Linda!

Thank you, everyone! These are great! The quick pasta sauces look pretty easy, too.

I like salsa if it isn't too raw or fresh tasting...like if it's been cooked by heat or vinegar.

For some reason I just can't eat them raw. I gave one of the cherry tomatos a college try yesterday and ACK...EWW. It's a shame because I know most people would love them. My friend's wife is a gardening guru with her own radio talk show on AM, so they have to be good. Something must be wrong with my tastebuds

Has anyone ever stuffed and baked them like a pepper?

I grow a variety that is "stuffable" but I eat it raw. I do know there are recipes out their to bake stuffed tomatoes (can't remember as I just saw a recipe).
I have lots and lots of tomato plants as I make my own paste, bbq sauce, catsup, spaghetti sauce, chooped up and canned with garlic and basil, salsa, etc..........

When Life Give You Tomatoes- You Make Italian Food

I do a variation on my Sicilian grandmother's marinara sauce wihen making a fresh tomato sauce with the plum tomatoes I grow.

I use extra virgin olive oil, and saute a small amount (maybe 1 tablespoon) of diced onion until the onion is translucent.

Next I add maybe 1/2 can of tomato paste (plain, not one with herbs or anything added), and saute this to mix with the onion and oil.

Next add approx. 2-3 cups chopped plum tomatoes (if you want, you can run them through a food mill to remove the seeds, ater first dipping them in boiling water, then dunk in cold, to get the skins to split and easily peel off).

I then add about 1 cup water, several fresh basil leaves, a bit of pepper, and approx. 1/4 to 1/3 cup red wine (just a plain cooking wine).

I cook this for maybe 45 minutes initially over enough heat to get a slow boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir several times while cooking. It will be thick and fragrant

Delicious!

You guys are making me hungry! Something Italian is the way to go. My coworker is growing basil this year -- maybe I can beg some fresh from her. I probably have 2 or 3 cups worth of tomatos when chopped, seeded, etc.

GailC -- that's great that you can make all of these sauces and condiments. I don't think I've ever had homemade catsup.

Btw, I've hated raw tomatoes since pre-school when they sent home a note that said "Patricia doesn't like raw tomatoes, she's really tried, and she doesn't have to eat them anymore." As best as I can recall my mom telling me that story

I kept trying them over the years, and believe it or not, at the age of 49, I finally tried them and liked them (homegrown are best, nothing sweeter than a just picked cherry tomato..it's like a spoonful of sugar to me!).

So...you never know (now, I still can't tolerate watermelon...)

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

... I finally tried them and liked them (homegrown are best, nothing sweeter than a just picked cherry tomato..it's like a spoonful of sugar to me!).

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At our house, they are known as "garden candy"

Originally Posted by EagleEye

What to do with all these tomatos?

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Send them to me!!!

With my three cherry tomato plants I swear I could feel all the TCS'ers!!

Homemade catsup does not taste anything like the store bought stuff-more spicy and of course not as sweet as store bought has alot of sugar. Its good to use when you have a recipe calling for catsup or a little tomato paste!!