Roasted Romas

If someone made me say my favorite food, I would say tomatoes. I like them roasted, sliced with S & P, baked, pureed in soups and sauces... the possibilities are endless! I have been drawn to them ever since I was a baby girl and my favorite way to eat them is right off the vine in the summertime {at Grandmomma and Grandaddy's}. It's springtime though, so I'm making the most of their intense flavor by roasting them.

This is a very simple and quick recipe. It's inspired by Julia Child's and Ina Garten's provencal tomatoes.  To serve four, preheat your oven to 375 and slice three roma tomatoes lengthwise and core out the juicy insides. Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, and a minced garlic clove. Let the tomatoes marinate while you work on the cheese mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine a mixture of any italian cheeses you like with Italian style breadcrumbs. I would say use 2/3 cup of cheese and 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs. I used parmesan and romano. Place tomatoes in the baking dish and fill them to the brim with cheese mixture. Pour the leftover olive oil and garlic on top of each tomato. {This helps the cheese brown.}

Bake them for about 20 minutes and if you have fresh basil {or parsley} on hand, chop some up and sprinkle it on top of the tomatoes as they come out of the oven, and if you're like me and you don't... just use dried. Serve these immediately.

Bon Appetit!