Hasselback Tomato Clubs

Summer 2025. The ISFA work continues expanding. I've helped forty families now. The mentorship program — my idea, pairing experienced farmers with beginners — launched this spring. Twelve pairs. Twenty-four people on twenty-four farms, connected by the belief that knowledge must pass between generations. The program is the seed that Roger planted when he called Jack every Wednesday. The program is the phone call, scaled up.

Phyllis Holloway's Alzheimer's is apparent now. She forgot Kevin's name at the last visit. Then remembered. Then forgot again. The flicker. The lighthouse beam that sweeps and illuminates and goes dark and sweeps again, and each sweep covers less territory. Craig is managing her care in Newton. Kevin visits when he can. The Holloway side of the family, always steady, is entering the years where steady becomes brave.

Canning season: sixty-eight jars. The number keeps growing. The Marlene preserves, the sweet corn, the pickles, the salsa. Jack at the market. Farm Fund over two hundred dollars now. The future building.

Sixty-eight jars is a number I’m proud of, but before the lids seal and the water bath does its work, there’s always a moment in the kitchen where I hold a tomato and just look at it — warm from the garden, heavy, perfect. This summer, with the mentorship program running and so much feeling purposeful and new, I wanted a recipe that treated the tomato as something worth slowing down for. Hasselback Tomato Clubs do exactly that. They’re not a preserve; they’re a reminder of why we preserve — because something this good deserves to be remembered all year long.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 large, firm beefsteak or garden tomatoes
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto (or regular basil pesto)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh chives or green onion tops, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Slice hasselback-style. Place each tomato stem-side down. Using a sharp knife, make vertical cuts across the top of each tomato at 1/2-inch intervals, cutting about 3/4 of the way down — do not cut all the way through. The tomato should fan open slightly while staying intact at the base.
Season. Brush each tomato all over with olive oil, working it gently between the slices. Sprinkle evenly with garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
Layer the fillings. Tuck a small slice of mozzarella into every other cut, then tuck a torn basil leaf and a pinch of crumbled bacon into the remaining cuts. Spread a small dollop of pesto across the top of each stuffed tomato.
Add cheddar. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top of each tomato so it nestles into the cuts and coats the surface.
Bake. Transfer tomatoes to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18—22 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden at the edges and the tomato skins are just beginning to blister. Do not overbake — the tomatoes should hold their shape.
Rest and garnish. Let the tomatoes rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives or green onion tops and any remaining basil leaves.
Serve. Serve warm as an appetizer, side dish, or light lunch alongside crusty bread. A drizzle of extra pesto or a squeeze of lemon brightens everything just before the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Hasselback Tomato Clubs — For the Canning Season That Keeps Growing