Nonna's Baked Tomatoes
Diane Rossen Worthington

 

Nonna's Baked Tomatoes

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Fresh ripe tomatoes are the essence of Seriously Simple. Whether it is in a zesty tomato salsa, a multi-colored tomato gazpacho, or as a first course, sliced and layered with fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil, the fresh, raw summer tomato never disappoints. Recently, I have found myself at the local farmers market excitedly perusing different vendors' tomato bins. I love to taste the many varieties that are now available. Beefsteak tomatoes remain one of my favorites, but now there are a host of heirloom varieties offering exotic flavors and colors.

I find that heirloom tomatoes are best prepared and served raw. Heirloom tomatoes are old-fashioned varieties that grow best in a small farm environment because they are more delicate. They have thinner skins and can't take a lot of handling. They have a flavor profile with a spectrum from tart to super sweet. There is nothing as good as a Zebra, Pineapple, Brandywine or Golden Jubilee heirloom tomato, sliced and sprinkled with sea salt and a fruity olive oil splash.

Beefsteak or Roma tomatoes hold up better for cooking. They have a tougher skin and can withstand high heat roasting, sauteing or grilling. I like this recipe from author Giuliano Hazan's latest book on family favorites. His grandmother used to make this farm-to-table dish and serve it with grilled meats. You can serve these tomatoes for just about any meal. I like to serve these at a brunch alongside scrambled eggs. At a lunch, I will serve them at room temperature along with other salads. For dinner, they are a marvelous accompaniment to grilled fish, chicken or beef.

Tomato Tips:

-- Select tomatoes that are vine-ripened for the best flavor.

-- Remember to store tomatoes at room temperature. If they are not quite ripe, store them in a sunny place to hasten the ripeness.

-- Tomatoes vary widely in the amount of juice they exude, so just add a bit of water if you find the pan is dry during roasting.

-- These can be made up to 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Serve at room temperature or reheat in a 325 F oven for about 10 minutes.

Baked Tomatoes Recipe

Serves 4

1/2 loaf Italian bread (about 8 ounces)

5 to 6 sprigs flat-leaf Italian parsley

1 medium clove garlic

1 tablespoon capers

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed

2 large tomatoes or 4 small ones

1. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Cut away and discard the crust from the loaf of bread and cut the loaf in half lengthwise. Bake for 5 minutes on each side. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Raise the oven temperature to 350 F on convection heat or to 375 F in an oven without convection heat.

3. Cut the bread into chunks small enough to fit easily in a food processor. Place them in the food processor and pulse until you have fairly even crumbs that are not too fine. Set aside 1 cup of crumbs and reserve any extra for another use.

4. Finely chop enough parsley leaves to measure about 2 tablespoons. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Put the parsley, garlic, breadcrumbs, capers, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the breadcrumbs are well coated with the olive oil. If there doesn't seem to be enough olive oil to coat them all, add a little more.

5. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and scoop out all the seeds. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Fill the cavities with a generous amount of the breadcrumb mixture, heaping it on top of each tomato half.

6. Bake until a brown crust forms, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Vegetarian Recipe, Italian Cuisine

 

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