Senior Connections Senior Connections Sept. 2018

it is buried, which is similar to laying the stem in a trench. When the pots are ﬁ lled with soil, insert a cylinder cage made of concrete rein- forcing wire, or a heavy duty wire tomato cage that will ﬁ t in your container. For the ﬁ nal touch, use black nylon netting as a defense against bugs, this can be purchased at any nursery. Keep the plant well watered and make sure it gets eight hours of good sunlight. You will soon have fresh tomatoes. When tomatoes are in season, try these recipes for some good eating: Tomato phyllo tart This colorful tomato tart will surely impress friends; no one has to know how quickly it comes together. Basil adds a fragrant ﬁ nishing touch. Ingredients 12 14-by-18-inch or 24 9-by-14-inch sheets phyllo dough 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon plain dry breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons prepared pesto 3⁄4 cup crumbled feta cheese, (about 6 to 8 ounces) or try any favorite cheese 1 large red tomato, cut into 1⁄4-inch slices 1 large yellow tomato, cut into 1⁄4-inch slices 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste 10-12 small basil leaves Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 17 1⁄2-by-12 1⁄2-inch baking sheet with parch- ment paper. Lay one large sheet of phyllo on the prepared pan. (If using the smaller size, slightly overlap two sheets on the pan to form a rectangle.) Keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap or wax paper and a damp kitchen towel. Lightly coat the phyllo surface with oil using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with 1⁄4 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Repeat this step, layering the remaining phyllo on top. Brush the ﬁ nal sheet with oil. Carefully roll about 3⁄4 inch of each side toward the center to form the outer rim of the tart. Using the same brush, paint pesto evenly on the surface of the tart. Sprinkle about half of the crumbled feta cheese over the pesto layer. Arrange tomato slic- es, alternating colors, over the pesto layer; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake the tart until the crust turns brown and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. To serve, lift the parchment paper and slide the tart onto a cutting board or large platter. Scatter basil leaves on top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Make ahead tip: Bake the tart up to 8 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Transport it directly on the baking sheet. Pack basil leaves separately in a plastic bag. Reheat the tart at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Timing tip: Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or over- night before preparing the recipe. Chris Schlueter will oﬀ er recipe tips in Senior Connections. SUBMITTED PHOTO Time to Focus on the Joys of Life Garden fresh bruschetta If you’ve never made tomato bruschetta, it’s delicious and fresh and really easy to make! Ingredients 0-24 oz fresh tomatoes (4 to 5 roma tomatoes or 3 to 4 regular tomatoes) diced small Cooking Country �� Chris �� Senior Connections HJ.COM Senior Connections September 2018 13

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