tomatoes!
Can be eaten fresh or cooked, and equally nutritious both ways.
Good source of vitamins A, C, and K.
Full of antioxidants, especially lycopene*.
Available year round from hot houses.
Plentiful and delicious late summer from local growers and neighbors.
*Lycopene is a natural pigment that makes tomatoes red.
When building menus it is important to include plenty of color. Tomatoes are a great way to add color, flavor and nutrition. Fresh tomatoes can easily be added to salad and sandwiches but cooked tomatoes are equally nutritious, whether in sauce, soup, or on their own.
Baked Tomatoes Gratin are a cinch to prepare. Slice the tomatoes and shingle them in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with fresh chopped basil, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with the combined topping ingredients. Cover and begin to bake. Once the tomatoes are tender (you will see and hear the juice) remove the cover so the topping can brown.
Serve as a fisrt course or side dish with anything.
You can also use the topping to make a stuffed baked tomato. The drawback is that you will need more tomatoes, especially if preparing for a crowd. You will also be left with a lot of tomato pulp from scooping out the insides. Extra pulp or slices can always be frozen and then stirred into future sauce.
The whole tomato looks stunning on a plate!
Baked Tomato Gratin
1 1/4 lb. Fresh tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
2 T Fresh chopped basil
1 T Olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Pepper, fresh ground
Topping:
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs or Panko
1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded
2 T Butter, melted
2 tsp Italian herbs
1 tsp Garlic, minced
Combine the topping ingredients and set aside.
Wash and slice the tomatoes about 1/4” thick.
Start with 1 1/2 lb. tomatoes before slicing.
Shingle slices in a small baking dish.
Drizzle olive oil over tomato slices.
Sprinkle with chopped basil, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle topping over tomatoes. Push some topping in between layers.
Cover with foil and bake at 375° for 20 minutes.
Once the tomatoes are tender and begin to juice, remove the foil.
Continue to bake another 10 minutes until golden brown.
Makes 6 servings.