I make these tomato bites almost every day in the summer. Juicy tomato rounds topped with flaked tuna, crisp cucumber, and grated hard-boiled egg. They come out fresh and light but still surprisingly filling, and the whole thing takes about ten minutes start to finish. What I love most is that they look so pretty on the plate that I’ve served them at holiday dinners without a second thought, and people always assume they took way more effort than they did.
- 2 to 3 large tomatoes
- 1 can tuna, drained
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1 fresh cucumber
- mayonnaise to taste
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh dill
Boil the egg ahead of time, cool it completely, and peel it. Wash the tomatoes and cucumber well and pat the dill dry.
Slice the tomatoes into rounds about a quarter inch thick and lay them out in a single layer on a large flat serving plate. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and black pepper.
Drain the liquid or oil off the canned tuna and mash it with a fork. Spoon a little onto each tomato round.
Now drizzle a thin crosshatch of mayonnaise over the top. Go light here, you want the tomato and tuna flavor to come through and the whole thing to stay fresh rather than heavy.
Dice the cucumber into very small cubes and scatter them evenly over the tuna. Grate the hard-boiled egg on the fine holes of a box grater and sprinkle it over everything.
If you want, finish with just a touch more mayo, a grind of black pepper, and a scattering of chopped dill.
Serve these right away while the tomatoes are still juicy and the cucumber is crisp and cold. They’re one of those simple summer appetizers that disappear the second you set the plate down.
