Tomato Tian

My daughter told me about this recipe when we were talking about how hard it is to get red ripe tomatoes at the grocery store. Of course it helps to grow your own tomatoes, but that can be extremely problematic depending on the weather, vermin, and other factors.

Years ago my sister gifted me a book called The $64 Dollar Tomato, by William Alexander, which is a riotous read of the author’s personal experience with gardening. By the time he got his first Brandywine tomato, after fighting every virus and varmint imaginable, he estimated that it cost a whopping $64.00.

Alexander writes: “But as any gardener will tell you, you can’t put a price on the unparalleled pleasures of providing fresh food for your family.”

But I digress. This recipe appealed to me because with high-heat baking, the less-than-perfect tomatoes get richer, deeper in flavor, and of course lose some water. From the author: “A tian is a casserole of sliced vegetables as well as the round, shallow earthenware vessel in which the dish is baked. (Like terrine and terrine!) A classic tian showcases an assortment of summer produce, but here the focus is on tomatoes seasoned with garlic and herbs.”

This exceptional recipe is from Christopher kimball’s Milk Street website. The author, Courtney Hill, suggests serving the tomatoes warm along with crusty bread and burrata. I only had fresh mozzarella and I didn’t want to wait. I’m glad I didn’t.

Tomato Tian
Printable recipe below

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into ¼- to ½-inch slices
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
6 sprigs fresh basil or 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Crusty bread, to serve

Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle half of the garlic over the bottom.

Arrange the tomatoes in concentric rings in the pie plate, shingling and tightly packing the slices.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then tuck the herb sprigs into the tomatoes and scatter on the remaining garlic. Drizzle evenly with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil.

Bake until the tomatoes are browned, bubbling and meltingly tender, about 1½ hours. Cool for about 15 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread with burrata cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese and/or flaky sea salt.

To say this was delicious is really an understatement. It was heavenly, especially warm with the grilled bread and fresh mozzarella.

I can see the tomatoes chilled in sandwiches, or served warm with grilled meats, but my choice would be just like I made it! For what it’s worth, this is my tomato knife, recommended by Jean-Pierre Brehier, when I made his tomato pie.

Tomato Tian

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into ¼- to ½-inch slices
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
6 sprigs fresh basil or 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Crusty bread, to serve

Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle half of the garlic over the bottom.

Arrange the tomatoes in concentric rings in the pie plate, shingling and tightly packing the slices.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then tuck the herb sprigs into the tomatoes and scatter on the remaining garlic. Drizzle evenly with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil.

Bake until the tomatoes are browned, bubbling and meltingly tender, about 1½ hours. Cool for about 15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread, burrata cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese and/or flaky sea salt.