Baked Summer Tomatoes
In her cookbook, “The Taste of Country Cooking,” Edna Lewis includes this homey dish of baked tomatoes in her menu for a summer wheat-harvesting dinner. Sweetened with sugar and thickened with pieces of buttered bread, it’s an unusual side dish that’s just as good when made with soft, overripe tomatoes as it is with perfect ones. Using a mix of different size and color tomatoes makes this both visually and texturally appealing. But feel free to use whatever ripe tomatoes you have.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small bits, plus more for pan
- 15 ½to 4 cups (about 2 pounds) mix of cherry tomatoes and regular tomatoes (cherry tomatoes halved; larger tomatoes cut into 1½-inch pieces)
- 2slices stale sourdough bread, cut into 12 pieces
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½teaspoon to 3½ tablespoons granulated sugar (see Tip)
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 1-quart casserole dish (or 8-by-8-inch baking dish).Step 2
In a saucepan, combine tomatoes and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook gently, stirring often, until most of the liquid evaporates, 5 to 15 minutes depending on how juicy they are. They should soften but still more or less hold their shape.Step 3
Line the sides of the prepared pan with 8 pieces of bread. Pour the stewed tomatoes and any liquid into the pan. Top the tomatoes with half of the butter and season with the salt, sugar and pepper. Place the 4 remaining pieces of bread on top, dotting each piece of bread with the last of the butter.Step 4
Bake until the tomatoes are bubbling, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.