Scalloped Tomatoes

My father-in-laws garden had an over abundant crop of tomatoes. To finish up the tomatoes I started to look at my bookmarked recipes and this one jumped out. Its an Ina Garten recipe and its perfect (though I made some alterations). It easy to make and the simplicity of the dish makes every ingredient stand out. The plump juicy tangy tomatoes, sweet basil, creamy cheese and pungent garlic are a burst of flavor in your mouth. Even my masala loving and moms-food-is-best husband couldn't stop raving. We had it for dinner and leftovers for breakfast and are waiting for the next batch of tomatoes :-) The original recipe calls for Parmesan but I had some lovely Swiss Gruyere and I used that for the dish.

Ingredients:

3/4 french loaf (6-8 inches long)

8 medium tomatoes - I used vine ripened

6-8 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon black pepper

6-8 basil leaves, chiffonaded

3/4 cup grated Parmesan / Gruyere

Salt

Cube the bread into 1 inch pieces. Heat the oil in a deep wok / frying pan and heat the oil. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add the cubes into the oil and toss well to coat. Brown the bread while constantly stirring / tossing the cubes. 

Wash the tomatoes, hull them and chop into quarters. In a bowl, add the tomatoes, sugar, pepper, basil and salt. Mix well. Add to the browned bread cubes and toss well to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add half the cheese in the bread tomato mix and transfer to a baking dish about 8x8 size. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for about 30-40 minutes till the cheese is melted and tomatoes are cooked. 

Serve hot or warm with a mushroom or spinach quiche / frittata / omelette. Non-vegetarians can pair this with grilled chicken or fish.