Tomato Mozzarella Sandwiches

Summer is coming to an end here in the Midwest. Oh the days are still warm enough but the nights are dipping down into the '40's and the first frost isn't all that far away. The kids are back in school. The days are getting shorter. The water colder. The opportunities to go kayaking, fewer and farther between. But most importantly ... soon there will be no more delicious, ripe, juicy homegrown tomatoes!!!!
Dh and I celebrated his birthday by spending the morning kayaking around a one of our beautiful state parks. It was a beautiful day. Warmer than expected and sunny, until a fire somewhere in the area, produced enough smoke to blot out the sun and we started to be pelted with pieces of ash that the breeze carried carried across the entire lake. It seemed to be a large fire (judging by the smoke cloud.) It wasn't very close to the park and we never saw anything about it in the news so I have no idea what it was. It was a really weird experience though. Before that, we had a blast. There was lots of wildlife and very few other boaters. It was like we had the entire lake to ourselves. Quite peaceful and a great way to celebrate one of those forty-something birthdays. Next time though, I will definitely pack a picnic lunch so we don't have to leave so soon!

Here's a great picnic sandwich ... even if it is a little messy! This tasty and easy to throw together sandwich comes from Robin over at Serious Eats! that is the perfect way to enjoy those last few homegrown tomatoes. I can see how this could get a little soggy so you might want to turn it into a salad. The next time I tried it (I'm telling you, it's addicting!) I simply threw all the ingredients into a bowl, dicing the toasted bread and tomatoes and it was great ... and quite a bit less messy! Try it either way. Just try it!

If you prefer your tomato sandwiches with a more mayo-based dressing, here's a link to another tomato sandwich I blogged about recently.


Tomato Mozzarella Sandwich
Recipe by Robin Bellinger at Serious Eats!

2 individual ciabatta rolls
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 medium tomatoes
5 or 6 medium to large basil leaves chopped into chiffonade
2 or 3 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 clove garlic

Split the ciabatta and toast. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Slice or chop the tomatoes and toss them with the dressing. Add the basil.

When the rolls are toasted, rub them with garlic and pile them with tomatoes and mozzarella. Drizzle the sandwiches with as much extra dressing as you like before closing them up. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and eat within a few hours, preferably without refrigerating.