(photo courtesy of see-ming lee at flickr)
I got a little emotional when I saw the first haul of summer heirloom tomatoes at the farmer’s market this weekend.
This time two summers ago, however, I would have walked by, completely disinterested. Why is it that so many people dislike tomatoes in a certain state? I have friends who won’t eat them cooked, but love them raw, and I know at least one person who hates tomatoes all together but subsists basically on a diet of foods dipped in ketchup.
I was always someone, on the other hand, who loved cooked tomatoes but couldn’t stand the taste or smell of a fresh one. That is, until someone coaxed me into eating heirloom tomatoes a few years back, and thus, colored me converted.
But while most lovers of raw tomatoes would balk at the idea of cooking an heirloom at its peak, my former distaste of the fresh nightshades makes me more pliant, now, in regards to cooking summer tomatoes.
Which is why I almost died when I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen. Which is why I made it mere hours after I read the recipe. Which is why I phoned everyone and told them about it. Which is why I illustrated the recipe several times for several friends across the country.
(recipe after the jump)
This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten, literally. It’s like tomato bread pudding: the tomatoes get this richness from being baked, and whatever juice seeps out is soaked up by croutons that crisp up under melted cheese.
Scalloped Tomatoes (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
2-3 lb tomatoes, chopped (3-4 medium sized toms)
Garlic
2 T Sugar
2 T Salt
Pepper
2 cups of good, crusty bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 T Olive Oil
Cheese
Basil
1. Preheat your oven to 350
2. Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl
3. Toast the bread cubes with olive oil in a sauce pan
4. When the bread is toasted, pour in the tomato mixture (juice and all) and cook again on medium heat for another 3-5 minutes
5. Pour the tomato/bread mix into a baking pan, mix in the basil and stick it in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the tomatoes are bubbling and the bread is golden brown
6. Pull the baking pan out right before the entire thing is done and sprinkle a few handfuls of cheese over it. Put it back into the oven just until melted
7. Enjoy with a fried egg on top, over salad greens or just on its own with a big glass of wine.
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