This recipe does double duty for a sweltering summer day: It uses a boat load of peak-season, Pennsylvania-grown tomatoes (which, if you’re not eating at every meal at this time of year, is a shame), and it puts lunch or dinner on the table without having to fire up the oven or stove. Whether you prefer heirloom tomatoes with their thin skins and candy-sweet flesh, or thicker-skinned hybrid varieties that slice up like a dream, if you spend all year dreaming of ripe local tomatoes, this salad is for you.
Tomatoes love to grow in Pennsylvania; in every corner of the Commonwealth, you can find all manner of this glorious summer fruit. We love the ones from Heritage Farm in Philadelphia, Happy Cat Farm in Chester County, Eckerton Hill Farm in Lenhartsville, New Morning Farm in Hustontown and Cherry Valley Organics in Burgettstown. Lemon-spiked, creamy whipped ricotta spread and a bed of arugula (grab some at the farmers market for an extra-peppery bite) are the perfect contrast to the juicy tang of the ‘maters. Pile this salad high on the plate, crank the AC and enjoy summer at its finest.
PA Tomato and Whipped Ricotta Salad
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 4 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10 min | 0 min | 10 min |
Whipped Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh PA ricotta, room temperature
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons whole milk
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine ricotta, lemon zest, olive oil and 2 teaspoons milk in food processor and blend until creamy, adding more milk by the teaspoon, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread ricotta in even layer on serving platter or individual serving plates.
Salad
Ingredients
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 to 3 pounds ripe PA tomatoes, sliced into wedges
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Method
- Toss arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and layer over ricotta.
- Arrange tomatoes over arugula and top with salt and pepper. Garnish with pine nuts and serve.
