Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches

This is how you shove summer in your face.

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

And it’s colorful, too, so we’re basically winning at vegetables. Or wait! Fruits. Tomatoes = fruit. My bad.

Why again are tomatoes fruit? Because of the whole seed thing? I think that’s a load of crock. Next you’re going to tell me that Koala bears are real. Riiiight. But we’ll go with it, NATURE.

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

Anyway, I’ve been making this ludicrously simple open-faced tomato and basil business constantly these days. It’s a total “dog days” type of food. I make it for play dates (^my friend’s arm. and kitchen^). I make it for picnics. I make it for snacks. I make it for all the faces in my house, including those of tiny proportions. Right now it’s all about summer survival. And this is how we dooo ittt. LA RA RA RA RA. Let’s flip the track, bring the old school back. This is how we dooo itttt. (<—these things aren’t in my control.)

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

I wanted the “dressing” to stay summery and simple. So don’t gross out when I tell you it has Mayo in it. Mayo + tomatoes = summertime, man! You have to. It’s the law. Plus, once it has all that basil in it, you be like W A T.

Just a quick purée in the processor. Blitz, blitz.

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

You’ll lightly toast some good grainy bread. The grainiest you can find. Bustin’ with grains. Then spread the basil mayo over each slice. You can dig so far, right?

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

And then just top some juice-a-liciously juicy juice slices of heirloom tomatoes on top of the dressing. (the gnarlier, the better) A little mix and match zig zag, if you so desire. Sprinkle a tiny bit of coarse salt and pepper on top, a teensy finishing drizzle of olive oil, and a few more fresh basil leaves for garnish. Holy cow almighty. So simple, but maddeningly satisfying.

You still dig?

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

Then you’ll simply chase your maniacal toddlers all around the park in the hopes that they don’t fall into the pond nearby. Because that pond is kind of gross, and you have a clean shirt on.

Are you even seeing that tiny ponytail? If you get pregnant tonight, I cannot be held responsible.

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

But I can offer you food.

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches:

What it took for 6 sandwiches:

* 3 Tbs. mayonnaise
* 1 cup loose basil leaves
* 3 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices, and then in half, crosswise (red, yellow, orange, whatever you find!)
* 6 slices grainy bread, toasted
* coarse salt, freshly ground pepper and extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a food processor, combine the mayo and basil. Pulse until blended and smooth.
Spread the basil dressing over each slice of grainy toast.

Top each toast with mixed heirloom slices, and sprinkle with a little pinch of coarse salt and pepper. Drizzle with a tiny bit of oil and serve with fresh basil leaves! Oh hi, summer.

Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sandwiches / Bev Cooks

You can still dig, right?

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17 Responses to Open-Faced Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches

  1. Emily July 21, 2015 at 7:12 am #
    You copied off of Jess this week
    • Bev Weidner July 21, 2015 at 7:18 am #
      Ha!! That's hilarious. Complete accident!
  2. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar July 21, 2015 at 7:56 am #
    Love that mayo!! This looks fabulous.
  3. Abby July 21, 2015 at 8:34 am #
    How beautiful! I just got some mini little heirlooms that would work great for this. YUM.
  4. Gaye July 21, 2015 at 10:52 am #
    My summer go to breakfast. Half a bagel, cream cheese, tomato, avacodo and basil.
  5. Ashley Renee July 21, 2015 at 11:11 am #
    these look SOOOOO yum. so yum. I need them. it's also lunch time and I'm starving so way to kill me a little bit.
  6. Candace @ The Wheatless Kitchen July 21, 2015 at 11:39 am #
    I need this basil mayo in my life ASAP! Annnnd I think the tiny ponytail may actually cause me to reproduce, I'm blaming you, I don't care what you say...
  7. Debbie July 21, 2015 at 11:39 am #
    I love a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich! Heirloom tomatoes have such a wonderful flavor and I grow them in my garden every year. The addition of basil to the mayo is a really nice touch. I can not wait to try your version of a classic summertime sandwich.
  8. Susan S July 21, 2015 at 12:07 pm #
    Summer is not complete without tomatoes and basil. We are in a huge drought here in California and our lawn is mostly dead, my shrubs are pretty stressed but I will NEVER quit watering my tomato plants and my basil. Can't do it. Can't. I eat a similar version of your sandwich but the mayo and basil are separate. Why didn't I think of whirling that delicious-ness together? I'm going to mix up some of your blend to have on hand for breakfast, lunch and even dinner if the temps go over 100 again.
  9. Christi July 21, 2015 at 4:20 pm #
    The other day I made mini open face BLTs for a party for my mom. I added pesto to the mayo to add a little zing. WORKED GREAT. This recipe makes me want to bump it up in the future with more basil. Always inspiring, Bev.
  10. Marylou Kormann July 22, 2015 at 7:01 am #
    Toasted tomato sammies are my fav, but will definately try with the basil mayo today. Thank you for sharing your beautiful children with us, they are sooo cute; love the "waddle" and the pigtail is sweet too :)
  11. bridget {bake at 350} July 23, 2015 at 9:23 am #
    Yes, PLEASE!!! Also, that ponytail and those little legs!!! ♥
  12. Ro July 24, 2015 at 8:52 am #
    I made this and I love love loved it! So much easier and cheaper than pesto -why do pine nuts need to cost so much anyhow? And personally, I liked it better. This is genious! Thank you!
  13. Liz A August 4, 2015 at 3:48 pm #
    I wish my Yellow Boys weren't so late this year, I've only had 1 tomato sandwich so far this summer. (I prefer my tomato sandwiches with tomatoes picked within 4 hours of eating. Freshy-fresh.) And mayo is a MUST!
  14. Shelly @ Vegetarian 'Ventures September 21, 2015 at 4:31 pm #
    This post is making me not want summer to ever end!

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