Rich harvest

It’s September and markets and farm stands are brimming with colorful end-of-summer produce. Although Jersey and Lancaster County tomatoes are still here, averaging about 99 cents a pound for the Garden State variety and $3.49 for organic Pennsylvania beauties, tiny teardrop heirloom tomatoes in hues of red, yellow and orange prompted me to create some recipes.

I spotted the first Italian prune plums of the season two weeks ago. These small, sweet purple fruits are oval shaped and have a delicious yellow flesh. They are available throughout September and make a fine dessert with a piece of cheese or baked into an easy, scrumptious tart.

I especially like the Jersey eggplants and local asparagus that fill our markets. I developed a recipe for eggplant lasagna that is sure to please along with a toss of pasta with asparagus, heirloom tomatoes and crisp pancetta.

I sometimes like re-creating a simple restaurant dish at home. Flounder caught off the Jersey shore stuffed with spinach and feta and topped with a sauté of heirloom tomatoes is so simple, even a novice cook could tackle it.

I like to sauté or oven roast several pints of teardrop tomatoes so I have them on hand to enhance any recipe. To oven roast tomatoes, simply spread them on a cookie sheet and put in a 250-degree oven for about two hours. When done, store them in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Pasta With Asparagus,Tomatoes and Crisp Pancetta

Ingredients:

1 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup of olive oil
10 spears of asparagus, each cut into three pieces
1 pint teardrop tomatoes, each cut in half
1/2 pound of pancetta, diced and sautéed until crisp
A few drops white truffle oil essence
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the asparagus and tomatoes and sauté for about three minutes. Remove from the skillet using a slotted spoon.

When the fettuccine has finished cooking, add it to the skillet. Add the asparagus, tomatoes and crisped pancetta. Raise heat to medium-high and heat through. Use tongs to toss the pasta. Add the white truffle oil essence and kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Serves four.

Note from Phyllis: I find fresh fettuccine works well in this dish. You may need to add a bit more olive oil if the pasta appears dry. You can top it with freshly grated cheese if you like.

Flounder With Spinach, Feta and Teardrop Tomatoes

Ingredients:

8 fillets of fresh Jersey flounder
1/2 cup of olive oil
4 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
2 pounds of baby spinach leaves
1/2 pound imported feta cheese, crumbled
1 pint teardrop tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sprinkling of imported sweet Hungarian paprika
8 pats of butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wipe each fillet with paper towels until dry. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large deep pot or wok over medium. Add the garlic and sauté for about two to three minutes. Add the spinach by the handfuls and sauté with a wooden spoon until the spinach wilts. Place in a bowl.

Add the crumbled feta cheese to the bowl and mix well.

Place a fillet on a clean work surface. Place a small handful of the spinach-feta mixture in the center of the fillet. Carefully roll like a jelly roll. Continue with all of the fillets.

Spray a large baking dish with olive-oil cooking spray. Place each fillet in the dish and sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper and paprika. Top each with a pat of butter. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with sautéed teardrop tomatoes (recipe follows).

Serves four.

Simple Sauté of Teardrop Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pint teardrop tomatoes, each cut in half
1/3 cup of olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh basil or thyme

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the tomatoes and sauté for about three to four minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well to blend.

Serves four.

Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 large purple eggplants, sliced very thin
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed imported San Marzano tomatoes
Handful fresh basil, snipped with a scissors
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place a layer of eggplant in the bottom of a large baking dish. Cover with slices of mozzarella, top with tomatoes and a sprinkling of basil. Repeat until all the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of tomatoes.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. The eggplant should be tender, but not overcooked.

Serves four to six.

Italian Prune Plum Tart

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie shell, defrosted
1/3 cup of sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons softened butter
24 Italian prune plums, pitted and cut into quarters
1 cup red currant jelly
Whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the sugar, egg, vanilla extract, lemon juice and butter in a food-processor bowl. Process about 20 to 30 seconds or until the mixture is blended.

Spread the mixture over the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange the plums in a pretty pattern over the mixture. Place the tart on a cookie sheet and bake for an hour.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Heat the jelly in a small pot until melted. Spoon over the tart and cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped cream.

Serves eight.

Note from Phyllis: You can top this dessert with slivered almonds before baking.