Traditionally a French culinary technique, gratin is the art of browning an ingredient to finish the top of a dish with a golden and crunchy crust. Join Tuscan chef Lisa Banchieri in the kitchen as she shares her recipe for Tomato Gratin.
The San Marzano tomato takes centre stage as the base in this dish, topped with melted Parmigiano-Reggiano and browned with breadcrumbs. The details of this gratin lie in the fragrant parsley and use of garlic, with the dish’s entirety, weaved with tantalising Extra-virgin olive oil from the best olive mills in Tuscany. With a bit of Italian “zhuzh”, expect a burst of flavour and crunch from this three-coloured dish. Serve this Italian speciality as a starter, side, or vegetarian main course.
Tomato Gratin
Serves 4/6 - Cook in 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 800g medium rounded tomatoes, firm and ripe
- 80g breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 50g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- Handful of capers, rinsed and finely chopped (optional)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (°C). Wash and pat dry the tomatoes, cut in half and remove the pulp and seeds. To draw out the moisture, sprinkle the tomato halves with salt and leave to stand (approximately 10 minutes).
Step 2
In a bowl add breadcrumbs, finely chopped garlic, parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano and capers. Mix well and season to taste.
Step 3
Stuff the tomatoes with the mince, arrange on a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes until the surface of the tomatoes appears golden, and serve warm. Buon Appetito!