Crispy Crumbed Baked Tomatoes with Pecans & Parmesan
These are gorgeous nestled alongside a grilled or baked fish or a juicy steak or as the star of a vegetable plate. Medium- sized round tomatoes or large Romas work best, but cut Romas lengthwise in half instead of crosswise. Good- quality supermarket tomatoes work nicely because baking intensifies their flavor. Don’t be tempted to use store- bought dry bread crumbs here. Making fresh ones is so simple: Tear the bread into rough 2- inch pieces and buzz it in the food processor.
Servings: 8 side-dish servings
Ingredients
- 8 medium firm-but-ripe tomatoes such as Arkansas Traveler, or Rutgers, or large Roma (about 2 1/2 lbs.), halved crosswise
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt divided
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsps. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs from about 3 slices crusty country-style bread
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Arrange the tomatoes cut- side up in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Mix 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper in a cup; sprinkle over the tomatoes.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Brush a little butter over the cut side of each tomato, leaving some in the skillet. Bake the tomatoes, uncovered, until they are hot, begin to soften, and look juicy on top, 20–25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the scallions and garlic to the butter remaining in the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the scallions are tender, about 2 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until lightly golden and crisp, 3–5 minutes.
- Scrape into a medium bowl. Mix in the Parmesan, pecans, and remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt.
- Spoon some of the crumb mixture atop each tomato half. Bake until the crumbs are browned and heated, 10–12 more minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
From TOMATOES: a Savor the South® cookbook by Miriam Rubin. Copyright © 2013 by Miriam Rubin.