Please Tell Me You Have Some Tomatoes Left

Do you?  Do you have a few stragglers hanging from the vine?  Do you think you're tired of tomatoes, so you just leave them out there, languishing?  Well, go fetch them, will you?  Have I got a recipe for you.

I am utterly saddened that I discovered this recipe only recently.  Practically weepy, I am.  Thankfully, there are still some lone tomatoes ripening on my vines, so I hope to make this yet another time or two before they are gone.  I highly recommend you do the same.

I'm calling it a bread pudding even though there is no milk or eggs in it.  It's just a bread pudding to me.   I also have to say that everyone loves this- including the children.  And it's super easy to make.  And you probably have all the ingredients (if you still have tomatoes, that is) in your kitchen right now.

Savory Tomato Bread Pudding (adapted from allrecipes.com)
This recipe makes an 8 x 8 pan but, by all means, double it.

2 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4-5 basil leaves, chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
4 tsp. brown sugar
5-6 medium tomatoes, sliced
5 cups toasted bread cubes (I use store-bought whole wheat sandwich bread crusts that I save up in the freezer)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

I highly recommend toasting your bread cubes.  It will keep them from getting soggy in the "pudding".  To toast, cube bread slices and spread them out on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until the outside is crispy and the inside is still slightly chewy.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a large sauce pan.  Add onions and saute until the onions are soft.  Add salt, pepper, basil, brown sugar and tomato slices.  Stir to combine and let the tomatoes cook for about 5 minutes or until the skins start pulling away and a lovely sauce forms.  Add the toasted bread cubes and toss until they are well-coated with juices.  Transfer to a greased 8 x 8 (or 9 x 9) baking dish and dust with the parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the bread cubes start to brown on top.

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