Garlic-Roasted Tomatoes

Generously flavored with garlic and herbs, these baked tomatoes serve as a side dish or an antipasto. They are delicious even made with hard, unripe tomatoes.

Adapted from 12 Best Foods Cookbook: Over 200 Delicious Recipes Featuring the 12 Healthiest Foods by Dana Jacobi (Rodale Inc., 2005).

(6 servings)

• 4-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin oil
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt, divided
• 6 large plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil or coat it with cooking spray.
• 2. Salt the cut sides of the tomatoes with half the salt. Set them on a plate.
• 3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the tomatoes in one layer, cut side down, in the pan and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes. You may have to do this in two batches. Fit the tomatoes cut side up in the prepared baking dish, making one snug layer. If the skillet is burnt, wipe it out.
• 4. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Sauté the garlic until it starts to color, 2 minutes. Off the heat, mix in the bread crumbs, parsley, the remaining salt, and 3 or 4 grinds of pepper. Sprinkle the seasoned bread crumbs over the tomatoes.
• 5. Bake the tomatoes uncovered for 10 minutes, until the bread crumb topping is browned. Cool 20 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 69
Fat: 4g
Carbohydrate: 8g
Protein: 1g
Total dietary fiber: 1g

TIP: Unripe plum tomatoes that sit at room temperature for a few days until they are deep red taste noticeably better.

April 2005

Photographer: iStockphoto.com/Klaudia Steiner

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