Roasted Tomatoes with Herby Breadcrumbs (Tomatoes Provencal)
Aug 30, 2023
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There’s one type of recipe I really love: recipes that look complicated but are really simple! Roasted tomatoes with herby breadcrumbs look like something you'd get at a fancy restaurant, but can easily be nailed at home. Next time you want to blow your guests, family, or even just yourself away, this recipe is for you!
Round out your meal with this wild garlic confit focaccia and these beautiful steamed artichokes with garlic butter!
Based off a French dish called tomato provencal, this is the easy way to start your journey into French cooking. This dish was even featured in Julia Child’s classic book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This recipe is my own take on tomato provencal: roasted tomatoes with herby breadcrumbs. It's so simple; all you need is a food processor and a pan!
Ingredients
Curious what you need to make this Julia Child inspired dish from scratch? Grab these key ingredients, along with a few others, and you'll be ready to start cooking!
- Tomatoes: Choose fresh, plump, juicy tomatoes; fortunately, any type, like heirloom or roma, works well in this recipe. Just make sure it’s sliced in half!
- Brown Sugar: One of the things that makes this my own recipe and not Ms. Child’s is that I use a touch of sugar with the tomatoes to really caramelise them. It softens the skin and adds a sweetness to the dish to cut through the savoury topping.
- Breadcrumbs: I love making my own breadcrumbs so I can add the flavours I like best, whether that's Parmesan, rosemary, chilli flakes, or lemon zest! Have fun experimenting with different flavours.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Add cheese: Garnish with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan before serving for a lovely finish.
- Use different herbs: Swap parsley for basil, thyme, or oregano depending on what you have on hand.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of chilli flakes to the breadcrumb mixture for a gentle kick.
- Add protein: Serve alongside grilled chicken or roasted chickpeas for a more filling meal.
How to Make Roasted Tomatoes with Herby Breadcrumbs
- Pulse the stale white bread, parsley, oregano, chilli flakes, peeled garlic, and shallots until the mixture is finely chopped with some chunks.
- Halve the tomatoes and sprinkle them with salt and brown sugar and let stand for 2 minutes. Cook them in a greased frying pan face down to caramelise, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the tomatoes, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper.
- Bake the tomatoes at 200°C (400°F) until the breadcrumb topping is golden and crispy, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve immediately as a side dish or light vegetarian main course!
Recipe FAQs
Tomatoes à la provençale is a French dish that consists of halved tomatoes baked with a crispy topping of herb and garlic breadcrumbs. It's an easy and delicious vegetarian dish!
The term 'Provençal' refers to the Provence region of France, which located in the southeast section of the country, and borders northern Italy. The cuisine of Provence is characterized by Mediterranean flavours, such as garlic, onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh herbs.
This tomatoes provencal recipe has a twist of my own: caramelising the tomatoes with a little salt and brown sugar in a greased frying pan. Then, you'll make a simple breadcrumb topping by pulsing stale bread, herbs, and aromatics in a food processor. Scatter the breadcrumbs on top of the tomatoes, bake until golden and crispy, and enjoy!
Serving Roasted Tomatoes with Herby Breadcrumbs
Here's how Julia Child served these herby breadcrumb tomatoes: “One of the most savory ways of serving tomatoes is à la provençale. These tomatoes go well with many things — steaks, chops, roast beef, lamb, roast or broiled chicken, broiled mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring or swordfish. They may also be a hot hors d’oeuvre, or accompany egg dishes.”
This recipe literally goes with so many things! If you’re serving a big family style feast with pasta dishes and meat main courses, this makes a great side dish, or can be the star of the show if you like! It’s a great side dish with garlic confit butter steak or a pan fried piece of fish. If you really love breadcrumbs, serve it with my crumbed chicken or these crumbed pork cutlets.
Expert Tips
- Choose ripe but firm tomatoes: They’ll hold their shape while roasting and deliver the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
- Caramelise the tomatoes: Sprinkle them with sugar and let them caramelise before topping with breadcrumbs for a lovely flavour.
- Use day-old bread: Homemade breadcrumbs made from slightly stale sourdough or a crusty loaf will toast up beautifully.
- Don’t skimp on the olive oil: It helps crisp the breadcrumbs and infuse the dish with rich flavour.
Other Mediterranean Dishes You'll Love
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Roasted Tomatoes with Herby Breadcrumbs (Tomatoes Provencal)
Ingredients
For the Tomatoes
- 5 ripe tomatoes, halved
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- salt, to taste
For the Breadcrumb Topping
- 4 slices stale white bread
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 shallots, peeled
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Prep Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half, then sprinkle them with a generous amount of salt and the sugar. Leave to sit for 2 minutes.
- Caramelise: Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a heavy-based, oven proof pan and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium and place the tomatoes into the pan flesh side down. Cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly caramelised.
- Make Breadcrumbs: While the tomatoes cook, place the breadcrumb ingredients into a food processor and blend until you have a chunky texture.
- Assemble: Flip the tomatoes over so they are skin side down, then sprinkle a tablespoon of breadcrumbs over each tomato half. Sprinkle a little of the remaining breadcrumbs around the tomatoes. They will become so golden and crunchy! Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper.
- Bake: Bake the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crunchy. Serve immediately as a side dish to your favourite meal!
Video
Notes
- Choose ripe but firm tomatoes: They’ll hold their shape while roasting and deliver the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
- Use day-old bread: Homemade breadcrumbs made from slightly stale sourdough or sandwich loaf will toast up beautifully.
- Don’t skimp on the olive oil: It helps crisp the breadcrumbs and infuse the dish with rich flavour.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Crispy breadcrumbs sound like the perfect accompaniment to roasted, caramelized tomatoes. I would love this with a little cheese on top! 😋