Tomatoes Gratin

Lamb was on sale at the market last week.  I needed an easy, tasty side dish.  I decided on Tomatoes Gratin.  ‘Au gratin’ refers to a cooking method that creates a crispy crust on top of the dish.  When tomatoes are prepared this way their natural sweetness deepens.  Lamb tastes earthy and this offered a nice balance.

Tomatoes Gratin takes very little time and no skills, but is different and tasty enough to serve to guests.  I like to eat the leftovers with rice for lunch the next day.

Servings: 6-8

Time:  Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes
Hardware: Cutting board and large knife, measuring cups and spoons, a bowl, 9’x13 inch baking dish

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds (6 medium) tomatoes 
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons basil pesto
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Cooking spray

1. Spray the dish with cooking spray. Pre-heat the oven to 400˚.
2. Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch slices. Salt and pepper them generously.
3. Layer the tomatoes on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping them.
4. Drizzle the pesto over the tomatoes.  You can buy pesto or you can make your own.
5. Mix the onion flakes, bread crumbs, and cheese. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the tomatoes. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
6. Serve alone or over rice.