There are times when I am up for a challenge, for those recipes that are as long as a chapter in a novel, made with ingredients that take me four trips to as many different grocery stores, and that leave me spent but gratified when I sit down at the table to enjoy them.
Granted, those times are rare.
More likely, as with so many of you, I gravitate to recipes that are not only quick and easy, but let’s face it, take the lazy approach.
Because there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
For example, I’ve made Julia Child’s classic “Stuffed Tomatoes Provencal,” and they were fantastic.
But when I came across Laura Vitale’s “Baked ‘Unstuffed’ Tomatoes,” the loafer in me immediately latched on to it.
Julie’s version is not complicated, but it does require coring each tomato, squeezing out its seeds, then trimming its ends to ensure they stand up solidly in a baking dish before they get topped with seasoned bread crumbs.
Laura eschews all of that, and simply slices the tomatoes into wedges, arranges them in a baking dish and showers the bread crumbs all over. It’s a streamlined version that I’m honestly apt to make more often.
The recipe is from her cookbook, “At My Italian Table” (Clarkson Potter, 2024). The host of the YouTube cooking channel, “Laura in the Kitchen,” the New Jersey-based cook also had her own show, “Simply Laura” on the Cooking Channel for two seasons.
Born in Italy, she channels her Nonna’s cooking in these recipes, which range from “Roasted Sausage with Grapes” and “Chicken & Eggplant Cutlets” to “Ham & Fontina Lasagna” and “Amaretti & Jam Crostata.”
With summer tomatoes at their peak, now’s the time to make this easy vegetarian dish. Although she calls for tomatoes on the vine, any ripe, flavorful ones will do. Simply cut them all into big wedges, and arrange in a baking dish in one layer. Although Vitale didn’t specify the size of the pan, I found that a 7-by-10-inch one was perfect. Drizzle on olive oil and sprinkle on a little salt. Bake them for 10 minutes, as you prepare the topping.
Her recipe calls for 8 ounces of stale ciabatta or baguette. I dutifully weighed out 8 ounces, only to assemble the dish and find it made for way too much breadcrumbs. So much that they smothered the tomatoes and became the dominant player in this dish. So, the next time, I tried weighing out 4 ounces of a baguette. Again, this was still too much. So, I advise going down to 3 ounces of baguette. If you don’t have a scale, I’d say to use somewhere between 1/4 to 1/3 of a baguette, with the caveat that baguettes come in different lengths and heft.
If you end up with leftover breadcrumbs, just freeze them to use when you make this dish again. Or just increase the amount of tomatoes, as this recipe takes easily to enlarging even in a very free-form way.
Place your stale baguette into a food processor with parsley, garlic, basil leaves, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a splash of olive oil, and pulse until you have very fine crumbs.
Spoon the seasoned crumbs over the tomatoes, then place back into the oven until the topping is browned and crispy.
The tomatoes emerge sweet, tangy and very jammy soft, juxtaposed with a topping that’s crunchy. There’s a hint of garlic along with the salty, nutty taste of the cheese that amplifies the umami of the tomatoes.
It makes for a perfect side dish to most anything. And it requires barely lifting a finger. OK, maybe just a few — to hold the knife.
Baked “Unstuffed” Tomatoes
(Serves 6 to 8)
2 pounds tomatoes on the vine, cut into thick wedges
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
3 ounces stale Italian bread such as ciabatta or baguette (about 1/4 to 1/3 of a baguette)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley
2 garlic cloves, peeled
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a small casserole dish just big enough to hold the tomatoes snugly in a single layer, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil over the tomatoes and season with salt. Bake for 10 minutes while you make the topping.
To make the topping, combine the bread, parsley, garlic, and basil in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the Parm and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and pulse until everything is well combined.
Scatter the topping over the partially baked tomatoes and return to the oven to bake until golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Adapted from “At My Italian Table” by Laura Vitale
Try Your Hand at Julia Child’s Version, Too: Julia’s Stuffed Tomatoes Provencal