“The tomatoes are ready” was the simple statement I heard on the phone the other day. No “Hello Mandy” or “How are you, my love” from my mother. Just a simple statement that filled me with dread. She was trying to break it down for me quickly – rip it off like a band aid so to speak. She knew I would be disappointed.
Why? It meant that I would not make it back to Perth in time for our family tomato sauce day. Tomato sauce day is not dictated by your availability or your ability to travel. It is dictated by the tomatoes themselves. There is a sweet moment in the weeks of February when the tomatoes are ready, and when you they are ready you order them by the case load and prepare for your sauce day.
There has been a lot of heat in Perth over recent months which means the tomatoes are ready a few weeks earlier than normal. It means I can’t make it home. It means I’ll miss sauce day as commitments in Sydney keep me here for the next few weeks.
Mum can hear the disappointment in my voice and goes so far as to suggest that maybe they can make the majority of the sauce now and if they can still get good tomatoes at the end of February, I can fly over and they will do a smaller batch for me. I smile. I understand the palaver of sauce day and am grateful that she would even suggest it. But I know I’ve probably missed my chance this year.
So instead, I hang up the phone, rush out to my local Ramsgate Organic Foodies Market and immediately purchase as many gorgeous tomatoes as I can get my hands on for a simple lunch bruschetta. I need to drown my sorrows in the beauty of tomatoes.
As I bite into this gorgeous bruschetta I can see immediately how perfect the tomatoes are at present, and I both love and hate them for what they represent. It really is the perfect time to enjoy fresh tomatoes in Australia so I urge you to pick up a few and make this dish. The simplicity of it perfectly showcases the ripe tomatoes and replenishes the soul.
Ox Heart and Green Tomato Bruschetta with Ricotta and Herbs
4 slices fresh sourdough bread
1 garlic clove, halved
2 Ox Heart tomatoes
2 Green tomatoes
6 teaspoons fresh ricotta
2 sprigs fresh continental parsley
2 sprigs fennel fronds
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat grill pan over medium high heat. Once hot, brush pan with olive oil and place sourdough slices on top. Grill the bread each side till bread is crisp and golden (about 2 minutes each side). Remove bread from pan and rub the top of each pair of bread slices with 1/2 garlic clove.
Arrange toasted bread slices on two plates. Slice the green and ox heart tomatoes and place on top of the bread. Top each plate with dollops of fresh ricotta and fresh herbs. Drizzle each plate with a teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Shame you missed the family event but I’m sure your folks will be chuffed as that is the dang prettiest bruschetta I’ve ever seen! Fabulous colours
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Talk about colours that jump from the screen! Stunning! A real shame you missed tomato sauce day with your family. And a real shame that we didn’t get to see it as well! Love a good tomato. And I miss a good tomato!
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Blooming, princess, I’m ready now, demanding tomatoes 🙁 As a stunning consolation prize, your bruschetta is gorgeous, showcases tomatoes at their best. You are right, when you have such a gorgeous piece of produce, keep it simple and let it shine.
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I saw tomatoes like these out in California last week. Now I’m home in Nashville dying for summer time tomatoes. Your picture is beautiful.
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Too bad you’ll be missing sauce making time! But this bruschetta is a nice consolation prize (well, kinda sorta — there’s no substitute for making sauce, I know). This looks delish. While you’ve been experiencing really hot weather, we’ve been experiencing unusually cold. So much as I enjoy cooler weather, I’m itching for it to warm up so I can plant my own tomato plants! Good recipe — thanks.
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Haven’t seen Ox heart tomatoes in my local market. 🙁
Btw, Your pictures are amazing!
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these tomatoes are really beautiful! i would love to see a sauce day in action, have ever only seen it in movies!
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I think that your tomato bruschetta is the prettiest I have ever seen. Those tomatoes are just adorable.
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Those tomatoes are unreal – so gorgeous. I can NOT wait until we are back in tomato season here.
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loving the look of those tomatoes both by itself and on the bruschetta!
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There is no end to the level of Italian-ness in your family is there? ;D Sorry to hear you have to miss it this year – mum’s farm is the same with grapes, when they are ready there is no waiting for anyone! I am completely in love with everything about the first pic in this post and already planning a trip to the markets to get some tomatoes before they are gone again. xx
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