From Scratch

When I am back in New York, I torture myself by going to the Greenmarket at Union Square. It’s enormous and the variety of foods for sale, not just produce, is amazing. It was at the Greenmarket that I was given this recipe ages ago when I bought either basil or tomatoes, perhaps both, I don’t recall.

They’re savory and meltingly tender, and this is certainly the time of year to make them. They can be made with a biscuit cutter or, for a rustic look, merely shaped by hand; I made them both ways for the photo. As with all biscuits, a light touch and a soft flour will help enormously. The more you handle the dough the more likely you are to produce hockey pucks. Beginners, don’t get discouraged if that happens; I’ve made enough hockey pucks of all sorts over the years to equip the entire NHL. With doughs, experience is the best teacher.

Basil and Tomato Biscuits

1 cup /4 ounces all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. sugar
4 TB /2 oz. cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup /2 oz. half and half or cream
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
Fresh basil, coarsely chopped, about 1/2 cup, or less to taste

Preheat to 425 degrees.

Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl. Cut butter into small bits and work into the flour as if making a pie crust, using fingers or a pastry blender,  until the mixture is like coarse crumbs.

Add the liquid and diced tomato, combine well, then add the basil and lightly incorporate it into the dough.

Turn onto a lightly-floured surface and knead several times - under one minute. Pat out to about 1″ thick and cut with a 2 - 2 1/2″ cutter, re-patting and cutting the excess, or simply form by hand into flat rounds.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake 15-17 minutes until well-risen and golden. Let cool on the sheet for about five minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.

Makes 8 biscuits

Ella’s tip: When you’re chopping fruit or veggies with the skin on, it’s easier if you put them on the board skin side down. Your knife should then glide right through them - if it’s sharp! [I reminded her to put this in. Mr. Knife Skills]

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Tags: tomatoes