Barbara's Scalopped Tomatoes~

Ok...I am really early on this post..it should be next Thursday:)But these tomawtoes..tomatoes..well you just have to make them as soon as you can.. and tomatoes are IN now:)So without further ado..I present..my favorite tomato dish of the year..
It would actually be unkind of me to not share right away~



When I saw these tomatoes at Barbara's Beautiful Blog~ I thought..MMM I want to try those..bacon and tomatoes :) Yum..

The above photo shows them unbaked..even nicer baked..but by then it was darker..and we were so hungry..We had Cod..and rice and this as a side dish.Perfect.

I made only some modifications..I used Jacques' croutons that I had coarsely pulverized..and I used real bacon. chopped in little pieces...cooked them crisp and kept the fat and the bacon in the dish..If you knew how much fat I ate you would be happy I actually did this~
Jacque's croutons are sooo good..I added some fresh basil to the pulverization:)
And of course I mini'd the recipe for just J and I~
This dish is a keeper.Thank you so much Barbara..





La Recette~

Scalloped Tomatoes
From Cold-Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons bacon fat
2 cups (1/2-inch diced) French bread
16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the bacon fat in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and sugar to then pan and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the basil and remove from the heat.

Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.

My notes..of course I made 2 small casseroles.. for J and I ..so I EYED the ingredient amounts..I added a smidgeon of crumbs on top..I used crumbs instead of whole cubes..We baked them for 10 mins.. ap at 400F..they were small.Until the cheese melted and the tomatoes were warmed..SO DELICIOUS..I could eat them for breakfast:)

The perfect season for this dish~



My friend grew Sunflowers..I did too.. not one in sight for me :(
At least she got 3..one was devastated..one was small..and one grew and grew into a beauty..she missed it..so I too photos for her..
That's the star in the collage.
She turned out to be a beauty~
My son-in laws..have grown great veggies.. One has spoiled us with his abundance.. cause he got abundance..he worked hard at it:)..My gazpachos have never tasted better,nor these baked tomatoes~
The other.. has spoiled me with the laissez-faire artistic quality he just HAS.

He tidied up his garden and put his tomatoes aside..but not just anywhere..
You must admit..you would have taken your camera out too:)
Table for one?
.