Tomate provençale

Tomatoes Provençal-style are oven-baked tomatoes with a golden breadcrumb topping of bread, garlic, parsley and olive oil. This classic side dish pairs well with grilled fish, meat or poultry.

Number of servings: 4
Preparation: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking: approximately 30 minutes
Total time: approximately 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 medium ripe, firm tomatoes, approximately 500–600 g in total
• approximately 40 g crustless white bread, preferably from the previous day
• 1 clove of garlic
• fresh parsley, enough for approximately 3 tablespoons finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven
   Preheat the oven to 200 °C conventional heat. Grease a suitably sized ovenproof dish with a little of the measured olive oil.
2. Prepare the tomatoes
   Wash the tomatoes, halve them horizontally and remove any tough stem ends. Using a small spoon, remove only the loose seeds and watery liquid from the seed cavities. Leave the firm flesh and membranes intact. Lightly sprinkle the cut surfaces with salt and leave the tomatoes to drain upside down for approximately 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
3. Make the breadcrumbs
   Crumble the bread into fine, loose breadcrumbs.
4. Chop the garlic and parsley
   Peel and finely chop the garlic. Wash the parsley, pat dry and remove the thick stalks. Finely chop enough leaves to make approximately 3 tablespoons.

Method

1. Make the breadcrumb mixture
   Mix the breadcrumbs with the garlic, parsley and remaining olive oil. The breadcrumbs should be lightly moistened and remain loose. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Cover the tomatoes
   Place the tomatoes cut-side up in the ovenproof dish, allowing them to support each other if necessary. Spread the breadcrumb mixture in a thin, even layer over the cut surfaces and shallow cavities. Press down gently.
3. Bake the tomatoes
   Place the dish in the centre of the oven and bake the tomatoes for approximately 25–30 minutes. They are ready when the flesh is tender, the halves still hold their shape and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife. If the breadcrumbs are already brown before the tomatoes are tender, loosely cover the dish with aluminium foil. If the tomatoes are tender but the breadcrumbs are still pale, use the grill setting for the final 1–2 minutes if necessary and keep a close eye on them.
4. Serve the tomatoes
   Serve the tomatoes warm as a side dish with grilled fish, meat or poultry.