Description
Ina Garten’s tomato gratin celebrates summer’s ripest harvest with Mediterranean-inspired elegance. Golden breadcrumbs and fragrant herbs crown juicy tomatoes, delivering a classic French-style side dish that invites you to savor each herb-infused, cheesy bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 slices whole-grain bread
- 4 medium tomatoes
- ⅓ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Herbs and Seasonings:
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cooking Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius) and coat a narrow 2-quart (1.9 liters) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Tear bread into chunks and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add grated cheese, minced garlic, and olive oil, then pulse to combine and create a uniform mixture.
- Spread the seasoned breadcrumb mixture evenly on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Arrange fresh tomato slices in a single layer within the prepared baking dish, creating an even, overlapping pattern.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh basil leaves, ground black pepper, and kosher salt over the tomato slices, ensuring each slice receives a balanced distribution of seasonings.
- Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes to release their natural juices and concentrate their flavor.
- Remove the dish from the oven, immediately scatter the toasted breadcrumbs evenly across the tomato surface.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until the breadcrumbs are deeply golden and the tomatoes are tender.
- Serve immediately while warm, allowing the crisp breadcrumbs to provide a delightful textural contrast to the soft, roasted tomatoes.
Notes
- Elevate the gratin’s flavor by selecting vine-ripened tomatoes bursting with sweet, intense taste.
- Crisp up bread pieces by lightly toasting them, creating a crunchy golden-brown topping that adds delightful texture.
- Explore cheese combinations like creamy mozzarella or nutty fontina to personalize the dish’s taste profile.
- Distribute ingredients strategically, ensuring each layer receives equal amounts of seasoning and heat exposure.
- Fresh herbs transform this simple gratin into a culinary masterpiece, infusing bright, aromatic notes throughout the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg