Pomodori Gratinati
I love this recipe, very simple to make, yet incredible taste. Serve them as a side dish to any meat or fish dishes.
I love this recipe, very simple to make, yet incredible taste. Serve them as a side dish to any meat or fish dishes.
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 4-6 medium tomatoes (from your backyard or local farmer's market)
- 4-6 slices old italian bread (home made breadcrum
- 1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese
- 3 tbsp salsa verde (see recipe below)
- 1 bunch fresh parsley (do not use curly parsley)
- 1 bunch fresh oregano (destemmed)
- 1 medium sprig fresh rosemary (destemmed)
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 4 large garlic cloves (peeled)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- Carbohydrate 0.614322843137255 g
- Cholesterol 8.66666666666667 mg
- Fat 11.9487749092308 g
- Fiber 0.249866673587584 g
- Protein 2.78079088235294 g
- Saturated Fat 2.76917589316071 g
- Serving Size 1 1 people (22g)
- Sodium 178.799107843283 mg
- Sugar 0.364456169549671 g
- Trans Fat 0.382965764902754 g
- Calories 119 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the tomatoes in half width-wise and remove the core. Place in a casserole dish, cut side up, generously sprinkle with salt and turn upside down for about 1/2 to 1 hr. This process is to dry the tomatoes and start the seasoning process.
- While the tomatoes are drying, in a bowl mix homemade Italian breadcrumbs, I make mine in a food processor with day old bread, I recommend you do the same as the finished product will not be the same consistency.
- to the breadcrumbs, add olive oil, cheese, salsa verde, and pepper to taste mix till all combined, mixture should be slightly wet, if not, add a bit more olive oil
- Rinse and dry all herbs, pick the leaves off their woody stems, then gently tear into pieces, put all ingredients in a food processor and drizzle olive oil. You can choose your consistency of the Salsa Verde, I like mine where I can still see the minced garlic and herbs.
- stuff the tomatoes with the bread mixture and drizzle the top lightly with more olive oil.
- bake at 400 for 1/2 hr, or until the tomatoes form a golden brown crust. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 20 minutes before eating. These are also great at room temperature or cold.
The Chemistry of Pre-Salting
Salting halved tomatoes and draining them upside down for thirty to sixty minutes draws out excess moisture through osmosis. Without this crucial step, escaping fruit juices saturate the breadcrumb filling, preventing the formation of a crisp, golden-brown crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.Pitfalls in the Pan
Many cooks err by using fine, powdery commercial breadcrumbs instead of coarse, homemade crumbs derived from day-old Italian loaves. Coarse crumbs maintain structural integrity when mixed with extra virgin olive oil and grated Romano cheese, whereas fine meal turns dense and heavy during the thirty-minute bake.The Second-Day Advantage
Allowing the finished dish to rest for twenty minutes before serving helps the fats and juices settle, but these baked tomatoes actually improve after a night in the refrigerator. Cold storage allows the garlic, fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes to thoroughly permeate the tomato flesh, transforming last night's warm side dish into a deeply savory cold snack.
