Peeking out from dried leaves, last-of-the-season tomatoes can be some of the most flavorful. Here they are wrapped in leaves of phyllo pastry and baked with just a bit of Dijon mustard.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　6 small very ripe tomatoes

　　10 fresh phyllo pastry sheets, or frozen, thawed (each sheet about 17 x 13 inches)

　　10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) salted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

　　6 teaspoons Dijon mustard

　　

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375°F. Generously butter every other cup in a 12-cup muffin pan.

　　

Step 2

Cut off the stem end of each tomato so that it will stand up cut side down. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

Brush one sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter and stack another on top. Continue, brushing each sheet with melted butter, until 5 sheets are stacked. Cut squares from the buttered sheets (see Notes).

　　

Step 4

Place the squares of dough in the buttered cups, pressing firmly against the sides and bottom of the pan and leaving the corners sticking up.

　　

Step 5

Place 1 teaspoon mustard in each cup, then add a tomato, cut side down. Bake for 10 minutes or until the phyllo is crisp and brown.

　　

Notes

Step 6

You can vary the size of muffin cups and phyllo squares to match your tomatoes, from mini muffin pans to fit cherry toms to jumbo muffin tins to fit larger varieties. For cherry or pear tomatoes, use a mini muffin pan with 2 1/2- to 3-inch slots and cut 4-inch squares of phyllo. For plum and Roma tomatoes, use a muffin tin with 4-inch slots and cut 5-inch squares. For larger tomatoes, use a muffin pan with 5-inch slots and cut 6-inch squares.

　　

Step 7

Arkansas Traveler, Marion, and Mule Team are varieties of tomatoes grown in Mississippi.

　　A Southerly Course