Get the Recipe: Tomato Gratin with Cream and Parmesan Breadcrumbs
Fresh tomatoes baked with a mustard, garlic and herb-infused cream, topped with fresh breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and baked until bubbly, golden and crispy. A great tomato side dish recipe, or enjoy it as a meatless main with crusty bread and a green salad.
Ingredients
For the breadcrumb topping:
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, *see Note 1 below
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated recommended
- 1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the infused cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f. *see Note 2 below
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs, *see Note 3 below
- salt and freshly ground pepper
For the tomatoes:
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes, a variety of colours and sizes is best *see Note 4 below
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (regular bake setting - adjust for convection or fan-assisted as needed), with the rack in the centre of the oven.
- Make the breadcrumb topping: Add torn fresh bread pieces to a food processor and process until you have coarse crumbs. Measure out 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (*see Note 1 below) and add to a medium bowl. Add the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated recommended) and stir together. Drizzle with 1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and stir together, adding enough to just moisten the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
- Make the infused cream: Add the 1 cup heavy whipping cream (35% b.f. *see Note 2 below) to a medium saucepan. Add the 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3 cloves garlic (minced) and 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (*see Note 3 below). Season with a generous pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Heat over medium-low heat, just until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Don't let it come to a full boil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to stand to infuse the flavours while you prepare the tomatoes.
- Set out a 9-10 inch shallow round baking dish, with sides at least 1 1/2 inches or ideally 2-inch high (or a dish large enough to hold the tomatoes in a single layer.) Shown here is a 9-inch round baking dish with 2-inch high sides.
- Prepare the tomatoes: Cut the largest tomatoes in half and cut out and discard the green stem ends. Place the larger tomato halves into the casserole dish first, cut-side up. You can leave smaller tomatoes whole, placing them in the spaces between the larger tomatoes. The tomatoes should be in a single layer in the dish. Once placed, season the tomatoes with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Pour the infused cream mixture over the tomatoes in the dish. Scatter the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the entire top of the dish.
- Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet to catch any bubble-overs during baking. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, assuming the breadcrumbs are sufficiently golden brown, loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the dish to prevent further browning. Continue baking 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and bursting and the sauce is bubbly.
- Remove from the oven. The sauce may look thickened and reduced or slightly thinner, if you used a lot of larger tomatoes that cooked off more liquid. The sauce will thicken as it stands. Let the dish cool for 20-30 minutes before serving, as the flavours are best enjoyed warm rather than hot from the oven. After tasting, if you feel it needs a touch more salt, sprinkle with a bit of coarse finishing salt, such as Maldon's.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350F oven, loosely covered with foil, for 8-12 minutes, removing the foil for the last couple of minutes to recrisp the topping slightly.
Notes
Serves 4-5 as a side or 2-3 as a main dish, with a 9-inch baking dish.
Note 1: Fresh breadcrumbs are recommended, for the best flavour and texture. Any bread will work. In a pinch, if no bread is available, opt for Panko crumbs instead.
Note 2: Heavy cream is highly recommended, for the thickest sauce and the nicest finished dish. This is a case where the splurge is definitely worth it!
Note 3: You can use all one herb or a mixture. I used a combination of dried tarragon leaves, dried basil leaves and a pinch of dried thyme leaves here. You can substitute fresh herbs if you like. Use about 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh herbs.
Note 4: Start with a variety of larger and smaller (cherry-type) tomatoes. Different colours are nice, too. Avoid "beefsteak" tomatoes, which are a bit too big. Medium-sized tomatoes or smaller will work best.
Tips!
Salt is key to bringing together all the great flavours in the dish. Be sure to salt the tomatoes and the cream mixture. If needed, you can top the finished casserole with a bit of coarse finishing salt such as Maldon's as well, if needed (taste first!).
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips, substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 340kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 360mg, Potassium: 430mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1917IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 209mg, Iron: 2mg
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