Puff pastry has proven itself as a pantry staple we all need. Versatile to use, frozen puff pastry bakes up into an impressively golden, buttery bake and can be used in sausage rolls, as a tart base and more. One can choose to spread the pastry with ricotta, cream cheese, pesto or mustard before tomatoes are layered over. Bakers can opt to use heirloom or cherry tomatoes to spruce up the tart but should salt the slices of fruit beforehand to draw out excess moisture. 

See also: Ask a Chef: How Do These Chefs Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?

Shimmering, sliced cherry tomatoes are arranged in a mesmerising spiral pattern to form this tomato tart, which uses a shortcrust pastry as a base rather than the aforementioned puff pastry. Simple to slice up and serve, this fresh tart is ideal for sharing at celebrations. While recipes often suggest making the pastry base from scratch, opt to use store-bought shortcrust pastry for convenience.

See also: Ask an Expert: How to Craft an Award-Winning Cocktail Menu

Bucatini all’amatriciana is undoubtedly this writer’s favourite pasta dish due to the richness from the fried guanciale being perfectly balanced by the freshness of the tomatoes. One of the four classic traditional Roman pasta sauces alongside Alla Gricia, Cacio e pepe and Carbonara, Amatriciana originated in Amatrice, its namesake. While recipes classically use guanciale, the ingredient can be replaced with pancetta if it proves hard to source.

See also: Commonwealth Games 2022: Where to Eat and Drink in Birmingham

A jazzed-up version of ketchup, tomato jam is both sweet and savoury with a touch of umami. Spread over a slice of toasted sourdough or grilled cheese, the condiment is an ideal addition to a summer brunch spread. The decadent spread is typically made with fresh tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and other spices before being cooked down until thick and jammy. 

See also: On the Pass with Timothy Wang, the New Head Chef of Willow KL

Best served with a glistening grilled cheese toastie on the side to mop up the hearty broth, there is few better than a warm bowl of tomato soup. The comforting recipe requires few ingredients—tomatoes, vegetable stock and onions form the base of the soup, though herbs add additional aroma. 

See also: Mid-Autumn Festival 2022: The Ultimate Guide To Mooncakes

My personal favourite brunch recipe is undoubtedly Shakshuka. Golden yolks peek from beneath a rich, spiced tomato sauce, perfectly mopped up with some toasted, crusty bread. As shown in the recipe reel above, I personally like mine with lots of spices, caramelised onions and chorizo, but opt to change it up with your favourite greens.

NOW READ

Mid-Autumn Festival 2022: The Ultimate Guide To Mooncakes

In the Mood for Food: Celebrating the Best of Malaysian Street Food

5 Tips to Level Up Your Food Shots, According to a Food Photographer