Making Scalloped Tomatoes

This is a delicious old fashioned casserole for high summer, when tomatoes are juicy and abundant. The toasted croutons soak up the juices of the tomatoes and give both a buttery flavor and crunchiness.

The sugar in the recipe is intended to balance the acid of the tomatoes. Use as much as you need to achieve a nicely rounded flavor, not to sweeten the dish. Scalloped tomatoes are especially good with grilled or roasted meats or fish.

6 large vine ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 slices white loaf bread, crusts removed, cut into ½ inch cubes

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put the tomato pieces and chopped onion into a large bowl. Season with the salt, black pepper, and sugar and toss well to distribute the seasonings. Scatter the bread cubes on a baking pan and drizzle 4 tablespoons of the melted butter over them. Place them in the oven and cook until they are a golden brown.

Add the toasted cubes of bread to the tomatoes and toss well. Taste the tomatoes carefully for seasoning and adjust, adding more salt, black pepper, or sugar as needed. Turn everything into a buttered baking dish and drizzle the remaining melted butter over.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the dish for 35 minutes and then uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Green tomatoes have a meaty flavor and make an interesting variation on traditional scalloped tomatoes. If you have plenty of both green and ripe tomatoes, serve both versions side by side so you can appreciate their distinctive tastes.

Ingredients:

4 large green tomatoes, washed, seeded, and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 slices white loaf bread, crusts removed, cut into ½ inches cubes

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put the green tomato pieces, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, dried thyme, and nutmeg in a large bowl and toss well to distribute the onion and flavorings. Scatter the bread cubes on a baking tray and drizzle 4 tablespoons of the melted butter over them.

Place them in the oven and cook until they are golden brown. Add the toasted bread cubes to the tomatoes and toss. Turn everything into a buttered baking dish and place a piece of parchment paper directly over the surface.

Cover the tomatoes with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the cover and bake 10 minutes longer, basting if needed.