Basil, Tomatoes and Rosemary, Oh My!

My sister has had a garden for years but I’m kind of lazy so I haven’t really wanted one. Last year I got tired of buying basil and other herbs and paying a bundle for them so I convinced my husband I needed an herb garden. I talked to him about all the money we would save and how he could grow these wonderful heirloom tomatoes or anything else he wanted. We discussed how big it should be and how deep we would make it. We decided on a garden next to our block fence on the west wall so it would be shaded from the intense afternoon sun.

So he set out on his quest for materials.

Every day he went to Lowes and came home with a trunk full of bricks. He spent the rest of the day setting these bricks in place and then he took a nap to plan out his strategy for the next day. After about a month of trips to Lowes and many plan revisions, we were ready to plant. I settled on basil, rosemary, spearmint and thyme. My husband decided three tomato plants would be a great beginning to his side of the garden. It wasn’t long and we had tomatoes and basil and rosemary and mint. It got too hot for the tomatoes and we will try again this month for another crop. The rosemary continues to grow and the mint is still okay but the basil just keeps growing and growing and growing. I now have 2 quarts jars filled with dried basil and my freezer is loaded with pesto and yet the basil plant continues to grow.

So my garden became my inspiration for my next recipe.

The sweet tomatoes and fresh herbs are a perfect way to celebrate all the flavors of your summer harvest. The creamy Montasio complements the taste of the aromatic herbs while the delicate phyllo enhances these flavors without distracting from the taste the way a more traditional crust might do. They can be prepared leaving the center of the pie exposed for easy garnishing or sealed if you would like to keep them warm to be served at a buffet or at a larger gathering.  

 

Chicken and Creamy Sweet Tomato Pies

1½ cups cooked chicken, chopped
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ cup fresh or frozen corn
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ cup heavy cream or half and half
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup chopped basil
1½ cups Montasio cheese, coarsely grated

1-8oz roll phyllo dough, thawed 

In a large skillet, over medium heat, sauté onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil until onion and pepper are starting to become tender but are still somewhat firm. Stir in chicken broth, rosemary and smoked paprika. Add chopped tomatoes and chicken and simmer 2 minutes. Dissolve the flour in the cream and slowly add it to the tomato mixture. Cook 1or 2 minutes to thicken sauce. Remove from heat and fold in basil and cheese.

Unroll phyllo dough. Remove single sheet and brush with butter. Fold sheet in half. Remove another sheet, brush with butter. Fold in half and crisscross 1^st sheet. Repeat 1 move time, pivot remaining sheet as you layer. Gently press into 4 inch crocks. Repeat with remaining phyllo and butter. Fill crocks with tomato mixture and fold overhanging phyllo over top, brushing with butter after each fold. (Brush tops of crocks with butter) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and garnish with tomatoes and fresh basil. Makes 6 crocks.

Variation: The phyllo in the crocks may be left open and fanned to create a much more delicate look. Crocks will have to be monitored more closely and covered so the phyllo doesn’t brown too quickly.