Kitchen Play: The Only Way I Eat Tomatoes

I don't like tomatoes.  I've been struggling to train my palette to enjoy them but it has been a serious uphill battle.  I find that the only way I'll even semi-enjoy them is if they are cooked into something.  


Enter the Barefoot Contessa's Scalloped Tomatoes.


I made this recipe the other night and Eric began singing its praises immediately after taking the first bite.  Although I was glad he enjoyed them, the real test would be what I thought (because, really, isn't that the most important thing?).  


O
M
G


Seriously, they were AH-Mazing!  I served them over pasta rather than making a sauce for the pasta and I ended up going back to the baking dish and scooping spoonfuls out and shoving them in my mouth.  (Note: this recipe is not intended to be served as a sauce.  It's supposed to be a stand alone side dish).  This is actually why I don't have a picture of the completed dish.  I just have a picture of the picture in the cookbook.  Uber lame, I know.


Since it is only Eric and I, I scaled down the recipe.  I've included the recipe below and in the ingredients section, I put the changes I made in parentheses.

picture from the Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? cookbook

Scalloped Tomatoes
Serves 6


5 tbl good olive ol, divided
2 cups [1/2 inch] diced bread from a round rustic bread, crusts removed (I toasted two slices of wheat bread and diced that)
3 pounds plum tomatoes, 1/2 inch diced [14 to 16 tomatoes] (I used 5 plum tomatoes)
1 tbl minced garlic [3 cloves] (2 cloves)
2 tbl sugar (1 tbl)
2 tsp salt (1 tsp)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, lightly packed (I used dried basil and added to taste)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I didn't measure...I just covered the top of the tomatoes with it)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Heat 3 tbl of the olive oil in a large (12 in) 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.


Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  ADd the tomato mixture to the bread cubes and continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the basil. (Because I was using dried basil, I added it while the tomato mixture was on the heat).


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


Recipe from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That? by Ina Garten.