Provençal Tomatade

It's summer as I write this and of course, is the perfect season for l'heure de l'apero, otherwise known as happy hour, to stretch into long evenings of great conversation and relaxation. This Provençal Tomatade should definitely be on your snacks list for all the happy hours of every season, but especially summer! It is made with sundried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, and fresh basil ... classic summer flavors.

What is Provençal Tomatade?

Provençal Tomatade is simply tomato's answer to the more commonly known tapenade that is made with olives. Just like red peppers in my Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade ... maybe I should rename that to Roasted Red Pepperonade?! Olives can't have all the spotlight so why not make a dip with tomatoes (or red peppers!)? Tomatade is popular in the South of France and once you taste it, you'll be transported to that gorgeous part of our planet.

What kind of tomatoes to use ... and can I dry my own?

I use jarred dried tomatoes in olive oil for this recipe, but if your garden is producing lots of tomatoes, feel free to dehydrate your own bounty. You could do it outdoors on screens as I hear Italians do, or you could do it on low heat in the oven, or in a dehydrator. Tomatoes have a lot of water so it will take a fair amount of time to dehydrate them. Remove the seeds and put them in one layer. Once they are fully dry, store them in olive oil in the refrigerator or package them in sealed bags and keep in a cool dry place.

A short list of ingredients

Only seven ingredients whirred in a food processor and you'll have a dip that is amazing on baguette or focaccia, crackers, or even as a sandwich spread. Sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. That's all you need.

Toast those pine nuts!

Toasting the pine nuts brings out their fragrance and makes a difference in the flavor of Provencal Tomatade. It's easy to do it in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Keep stirring them or shaking the skillet to be sure they only toast and not burn. As soon as they are toasted, remove them to a plate to be sure the residual heat in the skillet doesn't continue to brown the pine nuts.

Food processor or blender?

I find the food processor does a good job in this case and is my machine of choice. A blender would probably make it smoother, but that's not what I'm after for Provençal Tomatade. I want it to be a bit more chunky.

How to serve Provençal Tomatade

Serve Provençal Tomatade on baguette or focaccia or with crudités. It is a perfect appetizer or added as a dip on a charcuterie board. I think it would be amazing as a sandwich spread with grilled chicken. How do you think you'll enjoy it?

Recipe