When I think of heirlooms, it’s my grandmother’s china or her hand-embroidered tablecloths that come first to mind, not tomatoes. But it is the bright, jewel-toned, heirloom grape tomatoes, brushed with garlic-infused olive oil and embedded in a golden pizza crust, that captured my attention in this recipe. With a few purchased ready-to-use ingredients, this heirloom tomato “pizza” comes together in minutes and is an eye-catching and savory appetizer or side dish, that can be served hot or at room temperature. This recipe is by Chavi Feldman, published in the Family First section of Mishpacha Magazine, September 30, 2020.
Heirloom Tomato “Pizza”
The seeds are what make an heirloom tomato an heirloom tomato. They are passed down from season to season, taken by the farmers from the tomato plants that produced the best fruit. Regular supermarket tomatoes, also known as hybrid tomatoes, are selected for their yield, resistance to diseases and shelf life. Heirlooms are prized for their diversity of color, shape and flavor and come from plant seeds that are at least 50 years old. Heirlooms have thinner skin that is less resistant to disease and fluctuations in weather. Many types of heirlooms are prone to cracking, and many have what appear to be visibly bulging ribs. However heirloom tomatoes are some of the world’s brightest, boldest and most colorful produce, available in shades of fiery red, bright yellow, emerald green, deep purple and chocolate brown.
But buyer beware. Just because a tomato is being sold with the word “heirloom” attached to it doesn’t mean it’s going to be delicious. It’s an unregulated designation, like “natural”, so you must proceed with caution. According to Alex Delaney of Bon Appetit magazine, the only way to make sure you’re getting a delicious heirloom tomato is to buy them from someone you trust. Researching this article has whet my appetite for authentic heirloom tomatoes in all their bright, colorful, juicy, flavorful, bumpy glory and I’ve ordered a variety of heirloom tomato seeds to plant next spring. I’ll keep you posted.
Assemble your ingredients. Spray two 9X13″ pans with cooking spray and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper. Cut the pizza dough in half and roll out each piece of dough to fit in the bottom of the pan. Roll up any extra dough along the perimeter to form a crust.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spread the eggplant dip over the pizza dough, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the perimeter. (To make your own eggplant dip, check out this post.) Wash, dry and slice the tomatoes into thin rounds. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the eggplant dip, alternating colors. Grate or finely mince the garlic. Combine with the olive oil and brush the oil lightly over the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 18-20 minutes. Slice each pizza into six slices. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Heirloom Tomato
Bright jewel-toned heirloom grape tomatoes embedded in a golden pizza crust, brushed with garlic-infused olive oil and seasoned with oregano.
Ingredients
- 1 pound prepared pizza dough, if frozen, defrost first
- 32 ounces Heirloom grape tomatoes, or other colored grape tomatoes
- 7 ounce container babaganoush prepared eggplant dip
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated with a microplane grater
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, sprinkled over the tomatoes before baking
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray two 9X13 inch pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
Divide the pizza dough in half and roll out each half in a rectangle measuring 10X14 inches approximately. Place the rectangle of pizza dough in each pan and roll up the edges to form a crust.
Spread half of the eggplant dip (babaganoush) on each pizza dough up until 1/4 inch from the edge.
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slice each tomato into rounds and arrange the tomato slices on top of the eggplant dip, creating a random pattern with the different colored tomatoes.
Grate the garlic with a microplane grater or mince finely and combine with the olive oil. Brush the tomatoes lightly with the garlic-infused oil. Sprinkle the top of the pizza with the salt, pepper and oregano.
Bake the pizzas at 425 F. on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes until the edge of the crust is golden.
Allow the pizzas to rest for five minutes and slice each pizza into six pieces using a pizza cutter or serrated knife. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
This pizza reheats very well on top of a hot plate, uncovered. It also freezes very well.
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