Piazza takes heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market and turns it into gazpacho.
By Mark and Jenny Lopiccolo
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
As summer winds down, and the kids go back to school, at Piazza we continue to enjoy the amazing bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables provided by local vendors at the weekly Farmer’s Market.
The Curry Street Improvement Project is well underway, and all of the McFadden Plaza shops and restaurants are open and ready to serve our great customers during construction.
Our customers brave the construction, the smoke and the heat to come and visit and we appreciate it so much. Within a few weeks, we’ll have new sidewalks and landscaping along Curry Street; the annual Brewfest and the Taste of Downtown events will go on, so don’t miss them!
Speaking of the Farmer’s Market, Mark and Chef Dan load up every Saturday while we still can. Especially on those beautiful heirloom tomatoes, which we use in abundance every week right now and will start freezing and preserving soon to get us through the long winter.
We incorporate the fresh heirlooms into our bruschetta along with our signature flatbread pizzas and sauces. Bruschetta has become our most popular crostini of late, and it is no surprise. Bruschetta make the perfect bite and are quick and easy to make at home.
Chef Dan mixes fresh chopped heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil, minced garlic, (we get ours from Arnold at Glorious Garlic) a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Served on baguette slices, brushed with oil and garlic and toasted lightly, and topped with grated asiago cheese, it’s the perfect appetizer for any summer meal, picnic or barbecue. Sometimes at home we add thin slices of medium rare steak and make it a meal.
With an abundance of heirlooms on hand, Mark has been experimenting to create an amazing Piazza gazpacho (one of our favorite summer dishes) and we debuted it as a special last week.
If you have a blender handy, gazpacho is easy to make and stores well. This recipe makes about 8 cups, ENJOY!
PIAZZA SUMMER GAZPACHO
Ingredients:
3-4 medium sized, Heirloom Tomatoes, 1.5 to 2 pounds, cubed
1 cucumber, (one large or two small), peeled, seeded and cubed
Garlic, 4 cloves, minced or thin sliced
Spanish pimento olives with juice, ½ cup
½ white or yellow onion, lightly chopped
Fresh basil, 10 leaves, lightly chopped
Fresh cilantro, ½ cup lightly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil, 1/8 cup
Sea salt 2 teaspoons and Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon
1/8 cup of sherry
1/8 cup of lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ large Poblano pepper, split, seeded, chopped
1 mild red pepper, split, seeded, chopped
Crumbled Goat Cheese for garnish
Cooked and cooled large prawns (optional)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients to your taste, (use the pulse button) some prefer a “chunkier” version and some a smoother version
Chill in a glass pitcher or bowl, for at least 3 hours, or longer
Serve in individual dishes, garnish with crumbled goat cheese and a few pieces of ribbon-cut basil
Add a prawn or two if you wish
Serve with fresh tortilla chips, crostini or lavash
Mark and Jenny Lopiccolo are owners of Piazza at McFadden Plaza.
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