Let’s talk tomatoes

Adeline Olmer
Jul 14, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Aug 21, 2022

Tomate Provençale to be exact. In Provence you will find these delicious tomatoes served with almost everything.

Intense summer sun beating down on the tomatoes ripens them to perfection, imbuing them with a combination of sweet, sour, and savory flavors that delight your mouth with every bite. Anything made with these tomatoes is a celebration.

But the recipe called Tomate Provençale can be made with tomatoes that are not as exquisite as those grown in Provence since it is the olive oil, garlic, and a mixture of herbs that, when combined and cooked, blend to create a tomato dish that is oozing with flavor.

You will find this tomato dish alongside plates with roast meats, grilled chicken, steak, fried eggs (often served for dinner in France), fish, shrimp, and scallops. Basically, they will work as a side with any main course you like.

The recipe is simple and well worth trying while tomatoes are ripe and abundant at your local farmer’s markets.

Tomate Provençale

Serves: 6

Prep time: 10 min

Total time: 35 min

Ingredients

½ cup finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon herb de Provence

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper

6 tomatoes; buy ripe but not mushy

Directions

Combine chopped parsley, garlic, herbs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper with 3½ tablespoons of olive oil.
Cut the tomatoes in half, around the middle, and squeeze slightly to remove some seeds. Use an ovenproof pan; spread the remaining oil on the bottom and add tomatoes.
Spoon the herb mixture to cover the top of each tomato.
Place in the middle of preheated oven for 25 minutes.
When ready the tomatoes will be nicely browned.
Serve them hot or cold as they do in France.

Note:

If you have leftover tomatoes, chop them up and freeze them in small portions. They make a great addition to stews or sauces when you want to add a great tomato flavor.

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