The Yankee Crafty B*tch shares that perfect end-of-summer recipe.

When the tomatoes first start to turn red, orange and yellow in the garden, it is a very happy day for any gardener. I like to pick the first one during the afternoon, when it still lingers with warmth of the hot summer day. Bitting into a sweet savory warm cherry tomato is a moment that I cherish during the first days of the tomato season. As the summer moves forward so does the bounty of the harvest. After a weekend away, I came home to so many cherry tomatoes I needed to create a dish where the sweet-savory flavors could be on display.


What you’ll need:

1 french baguette
1 stick butter melted
4 cups cherry tomatoes- minced
4 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (about 6)
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 tablespoons fresh basil- thinly sliced
Salt and Pepper



What to do:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the stick of butter in a small frying pan over low heat. Meanwhile, on a cutting board slice the bread at an angle, in slices ¼” thick. Place the sliced bread on a cookie sheet, single layered.




Once the butter melts, gently brush the bread slices with the butter. Bake in the oven, on the middle rack, for 7 -10 minutes. Watch the oven to make sure you don’t burn the bread, checking every 2-3 minutes. The bread, or crostini, should be golden brown – and well toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool.

With a serrated knife, slice the tomatoes in half, then quarter. Place the small minced tomatoes in a large bowl. Slice the scallions, add to the tomatoes and gently toss.  Add the olive oil. Let sit.
Stack 7 – 10 basil leafs on top of each other. Roll the leafs together, and thinly slice with a sharp knife. Repeat this process until you have about 12 tablespoons.



Place the crostini on a plate. With a large tablespoon, place a heaping spoonful of the tomato mixture on each crostini. Place a pinch of the sliced basil on the top of the tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper on each bruschetta.



Resist the temptation to eat the whole plate before serving to your loved ones looking for the last little taste of summer.




Down East will be featuring contributors from all walks of Maine Life on DE Daily. Kathryn and Dash, the women behind the Yankee Crafty B*tch blog, will be bringing you the best in the world of crafts, food, sewing and gardens — all on the resourceful Yankee budget. So kick back, check out their posts, and get your craft on. If you're interested in contributing to DE Daily, send an e-mail to online@downeast.com and tell us your ideas.

The views expressed on this Web site are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of Down East Enterprise or its employees.