Tomato Bread Pudding
Move over stuffing, there’s a new kid in town.
I’m not sure anyone should mess with stuffing when it comes to preparing a turkey dinner, but this recipe definitely gives that notion a run for its money. I love this recipe because it’s a perfect way to use up those surplus tomatoes from your garden, and it also plays double duty between vegetable and bread on your dinner table.
I also like to layer the flavours in this dish by playing with different types of bread — I’ve used my family-famous cheddar bacon and herb bread, sundried tomato foccacia, or even good ol’ sourdough. The possibilities are endless, and the result is always delicious. — CFG
Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
3-4 cups of bread, cut into 2” chunks
3 lbs fresh Roma (or other firm) tomatoes
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp herbs de Provence or Italian blend spices
1/2 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1/8 cup fresh basil, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Slice the tomatoes into 2” chunks (typically halved width-wise and then length-wise to make 4 pieces). Set aside in a large bowl.
Slice 1/2 loaf of artisan-style bread (~3-4 cups) into 2” chunks and lightly toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil (an olive oil mister works well for this).
In a cast iron (or other large) frying pan, add the bread chunks and toast on medium heat until bread is crisped. Set aside on a plate to cool.
Return the pan to medium-high heat and add 1/2 a large chopped onion. Sauté until onions begin to soften, but not brown. Add in 3 large cloves of minced garlic and stir to combine.
Add the 3lbs of chopped tomatoes to the onion mixture, then sprinkle with 2 tsp of ground sea salt, 1 tsp of fresh ground pepper, and 1 tbsp of herbs de Provence/Italian blend spices. Gently stir to combine and cook until tomatoes soften (approximately 5 minutes).
Spoon out any excess liquid that may have cooked off the tomatoes and discard, then add toasted bread pieces back into the pan. Gently fold the mixture together and remove from heat.
If using a casserole dish or other oven safe dish, lightly line the dish with cooking spray and transfer mixture. If cooking in a cast iron pan skip this step and leave dish in pan.
Top tomato mixture with 1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup panko crumbs. Transfer pan/cooking dish to preheated oven and cook for ~35 minutes (or until top is golden and crisped).
Remove from oven and top with 1/8 cup of finely chopped fresh basil. Drizzle the remaining 1tbsp of olive oil (or use olive oil mister) over the mixture and serve.
Serve and enjoy!
Note: Despite the soft texture of this dish, it refrigerates surprisingly well for 1-2 days.
