Thursday, July 1, 2010

BB: Scalloped Tomatoes



I was so excited when I found out June was my pick for Barefoot Bloggers!  I was also really nervous though - pressure!!  I pored over all things Ina for several hours, before finally settling on her scalloped tomatoes.  I'd seen her make these on her "Farmstand Food" episode several months ago, and I've been thinking about them ever since.  And since tomatoes are starting to come into season, I thought it was the perfect time to make this dish.  Tomatoes, bread, garlic, and parmesan - how bad could that be?

I used a mixture of several types of tomatoes - some gorgeous heirlooms from our CSA, a few vine-ripened from my own plants, and then I used quartered cherry tomatoes to reach 2 1/2 pounds.  The biggest issue that there seemed to be was the moisture in the dish - since tomatoes give off so much moisture, it lead to a little bit soggy bread.  However, I think this can be remedied a few ways:  1. Remove the seeds from half the tomatoes.  2.  Bake the mixture in the most shallow dish you can.  The top formed a nice and crunchy crust, which was the best part.  I used a corningware baking dish, but I think next time I will use a 9x13 inch pan.  That way, the mixture will be more shallow, giving more crust and less mush.

Overall, this was really very tasty.  The tomatoes caramelize a little and have the most rich, delicious flavor.  I will definitely keep this in my repertoire this summer, and I hope the other Barefoot Bloggers enjoyed my pick!

One Year Ago:  Grilled and Stuffed Portobellos



Scalloped Tomatoes
adapted from Ina Garten
serves 6
  • olive oil
  • 2-3 cups cubed French Bread (about 1/2-inch cubes)
  • 2 1/2 pounds chopped tomatoes, seeds and pulp removed from about half
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.  Add the bread cubes, and toast, stirring often, until evenly browned, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and add them to a large bowl.  Combine with the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Add the tomato mixture to the bread, and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring often.

Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and top with the Parmesan cheese.  Bake 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a crust has formed.


11 comments:

Haden News said...

Great pick Josie! I loved the scalloped tomatoes, I used all roma tomatoes. Next time I make it I like your idea of using a mixture of different ones.

Peggy said...

This was a great pick. I wasn't sure at first, but once I cooked it, we LOVED it. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for hosting.

Unknown said...

Looks so good - I love Ina

Jessica said...

This looks delicious. I can't wait to try it after we start harvesting some tomatoes later this month.

jessyburke88@gmail.com

Todd M said...

Wish we had so fresh tomatoes to try with it but it was great with the plum tomatoes and I didn't have to worry about too much juice.

Joanne said...

This was truly the perfect pick! I love that this is almost like a bread pudding but so much better for you and with so many fresh flavors!

Anonymous said...

You toast olive oil?

test it comm said...

This tomato dish sounds tasty!

Kelly Pearce said...

I made this and my husband and I loved it! I also added zucchini (fresh from our garden) and a little bit of vidalia onions. It turned out amazing! Thanks for sharing and try adding zucchini....

Sarah from 20somethingcupcakes said...

So jealous! Still waiting on my spot in BB :) I am a self-confessed Ina addict, I'd say about 70% of the recipes I use are hers! I haven't yet seen this one, looks great! xxSAS

jIll said...

I finally got around to making this (a month late!) and it was so delicious we made an entire meal out of it! Great pick!

Post a Comment

 
BLOG DESIGN BY: SHERBET BLOSSOM DESIGNS