Heirloom Tomato Sandwich with Basil Pesto
/Sponsored by Wolf Trap
Photo by Peyton Weikert
Summer has officially arrived here in the District! Check out which ingredients are in season, and try your hand at an heirloom tomato sandwich recipe from Wolf Trap's Chef Chris Faessen.
What's in season:
- Apples
- Apricots
- Beans
- Beets
- Blueberries
- Broccoli Rabe
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chard
- Collards
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Currants
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Garlic
- Gooseberries
- Green Beans
- Herbs
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lettuces
- Mushrooms
- Nectarines
- Okra
- Onions
- Peaches
- Peppers
- Plums
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Salad Greens
- Shallots
- Sprouts
- Strawberries
- Sugar & Snap Peas
- Summer Squash
- Sweet Cherries
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
Executive Chef Chris Faessen shares a guaranteed crowd pleaser for a Wolf Trap picnic—delicious, easy-to-pack —serving up these tomato sandwiches will make you very popular indeed. Often called “Caprese” sandwiches, which means in the style of the Italian island of Capri, food served Caprese-style, in this case a sandwich, are constructed of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, sweet basil and seasoned with salt and olive oil. A cold white Italian wine or prosecco would complete the picture. Enjoy the summer evening and manga!
No time to pack a picnic? Wolf Trap has you covered. Their restaurant offers on-site dining, and also the option to call ahead and order a custom picnic to pick it up before the show. To order, call 703-255-4017 or to explore all dining options, visit www.wolftrap.org/visit/dining-and-concessions.aspx
Heirloom Tomato Sandwich with Basil Pesto
Serves 4.
1 red heirloom tomato
1 yellow heirloom tomato
1 teaspoon basil pesto
4-6 thick slices fresh buffalo mozzarella (depending on the size of your rolls/sandwiches)
4 fresh ciabatta rolls (or a loaf of ciabatta)
Basil Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup pine nuts (or substitute walnuts)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Put all the ingredients in a blender and ½ cup of the olive oil and blend well. Finish with the remaining olive oil. To assemble sandwiches, cut the rolls in half, removing a bit of the bread on each side to create room for the tomato and cheese. Spread pesto on top and bottom, layer the tomato and mozzarella. Press the sandwich down and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To use the loaf, cut it in half lengthways, remove some of the bread and assemble as above. After refrigeration, slice into serving size sandwiches.
