PESTO TOMATO STACKS

This is an easy recipe to throw together on a week night and could even pass for a full meal.  You won’t have to turn the oven on for this one.  I’ve included a way to use the heirlooms as well as the cherry tomatoes so you can use them up, feel free to use more or less tomato to your liking!

Ingredients:
Pesto:
1/4 cup walnuts
¾ cup packed basil leaves
1-3 garlic cloves
¾ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 
In a skillet, toast walnuts over low-medium heat for up to five minutes (watch carefully so they don’t burn).
 
Move walnuts, basil, garlic (to your liking), lemon juice and sea salt to the food processer.  Put the lid on and start processing while slowly drizzling the oil into the food processor.
 
Tomato Stacks:
Heirloom tomatoes sliced into ¼ inch slices (1/2-1 tomato per serving)
Cherry tomatoes quartered (2-4 tomatoes per serving)
Ricotta Cheese (1 package)
Pesto
Small handful walnuts coarsely chopped
Pepper
 
On an individual plate, place one large slice of heirloom tomato. Top with a heaping tablespoon of ricotta cheese and gently smooth it out. Place a heaping teaspoon or pesto on top of the cheese, and another slice of tomato on that. Continue until stacks are approximately the size you’d like – finish with cheese, pesto and a few wedges of the cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of the walnuts.  Top with fresh ground pepper.