The garden's gift to busy cooks is a perfect cherry tomato. These bite-size containers bring the promise of summer onto any appetizer tray. Use an array of red cherry and tiny yellow pear-shaped tomatoes when they're available.

For a creative presentation, cut a thin slice to remove the tomato top (leaves attached), scoop out the seeds, fill the shell with pesto, and use the tomato top as a tiny lid.

Pesto

To complete the recipe

To make the pesto: Process all the pesto ingredients in a food processor (or blender) until the mixture is a slightly chunky purée. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Halve the tomatoes horizontally. Using a small melon baller or a spoon, scoop out the seeds and juice. Fill each tomato shell with about 1 teaspoon of the pesto. Sprinkle lightly with paprika just before serving.

To serve, arrange the stuffed tomatoes on a plate and garnish with basil sprigs and walnut halves. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Advance preparation

The pesto will keep for up to 2 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Stuff the tomatoes up to 4 hours before serving; cover and refrigerate.

Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, freelance food writer, and the award-winning author of 13 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette's most recently published cookbook is "The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh." She is also the author of "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," which was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine" at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration.