Romagna-style tomato gratin with piadina was the culinary soundtrack of my summers.
Tomato gratin has a scent, color, and flavor that take me back to the endless vacations of my childhood.
The colors of summer
Summer is made up of many colors, but perhaps, among them all, and although tempted by the golden color of wheat fields and the crystal blue of certain summer skies, I choose red.
Poppy red.
Cherry red.
Watermelon red.
Evening red.
And then there are them. Tomatoes. The reddest of all. They dot the garden with red, and when they ripen in the sun, they give off an intense and inviting aroma.
At home, when I was little, tomatoes were the stars of the summer table.
They were eaten in salads, cold pasta dishes, au gratin, and grilled. In Romagna, the holy trinity of vegetables on the summer grill consisted of eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Everything else, from peaches to peppers, is recent history.
Tomatoes also naturally appeared in the form of sauce for pasta, which we would make at the end of August to ensure we always had a good supply of passata (I shared my family’s recipe on the blog, along with some tips I had learned over the years).
Tomato gratin alla Romagnola
One of the typical side dishes of rural Romagna and an alternative to grilled tomatoes (which my grandmother seasoned with a mixture of rosemary, salt, and garlic similar to Bolognese brine, but without bread) was gratinated tomatoes.
As simple as they are delicious. They literally flew off the plate. Even today, when I make them, I always make a few extra, and every time, not a single one is left. What’s more, they’re just as good the next day.
Something magical happens during cooking. A crispy crust forms on the surface, keeping the filling soft and tender. While the gratin process takes place on top, the tomato transfers its flavor and aroma to the bread underneath, which remains moist and tasty.
In its simplicity, it’s a perfect dish.
I recommend serving the gratinated tomatoes with bread or, even better, with piadina.
Especially the Bertinoro type, which is leavened and smaller than the piadina del mare (the one you eat from Rimini to Cattolica); otherwise, the piadina gets soggy and breaks. I grew up in Imola, an area of Romagna where piadina is just like the one you see in the photos. One of the characteristics of Imola piadina is the addition of milk to the dough (I have shared the home recipe on my blog, which you can make using water).
How to prepare tomato gratin
In the oven or in a pan, but the cooking times vary slightly (I indicate both in the recipe).
If you opt for the pan, grease the bottom and cook for about forty minutes with the lid on.
Only open the pan towards the end to allow the crust to form.
There is no garlic in my family recipe, and, in general, I don’t remember it being used at my friends’ houses. If you can’t resist its flavor, chop it very, very finely, as you will need to mix it with the breadcrumbs.
Furthermore, following family tradition, I do not mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese (which melts during cooking and changes the flavor of the gratinated tomatoes, whereas the taste of the tomato should be clearly noticeable).
I mix the breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and a little chopped fresh or dried herb (usually oregano, rosemary, or parsley). If you prefer, you can create your own herb mix.
Before the recipe, here’s a trick I learned from my grandmother Sara:
- Pour the breadcrumbs into a bowl, add olive oil, then use your fingers to mix the bread with the oil (see photo after the recipe); only then add a little water and mix again. This way, the breadcrumbs will stay compact and won’t fall out of the tomatoes.
- One last thing: obviously, this is a recipe where you add ingredients to taste. You’ll have to use your judgment to fill the tomatoes.
Buona cucina, Monica
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Romagna-style tomato gratin
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes, large and easy to empty
- 100 g of breadcrumbs, 2-3 tablespoons for each half tomato
- 1/2 olive oil tablespoon for each half tomato
- 50 ml of water
- salt to taste
- oregano or parsley or rosemary to taste
Instructions
- Wash and cut the tomatoes in half. Using a knife and a teaspoon, carefully remove the center, hard to eat, being careful not to break the skin. Remove the seeds as well. Then empty the tomatoes, making sure to remove the hard center, as it will remain hard even after cooking.
- Lightly salt each tomato half and place them upside down in a colander for about 30 minutes.
- Wash, dry, and chop the herbs with a knife.
- In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and the finely chopped herbs.
- Add the oil and mix the breadcrumbs, running them through your fingers. Then, add a little water at a time, being careful not to make the bread too soggy.
- Fill the tomatoes.
- Cooking in a panThe tomatoes au gratin cooked in a pan over medium-low heat are ready after about 30 minutes. Occasionally, pour a little water into the bottom of the pan, even if it is greased with oil, to prevent the tomatoes from sticking.
- Cooking in the ovenPreheat the oven to 190°C (374°F).Arrange the stuffed tomatoes in a lightly greased baking dish, placing them close together but not overlapping.Lower the temperature to 170 °C (338°F) and bake the tomatoes for 30-40 minutes. If, after this time, the oven seems too hot and the tomatoes are not cooked through, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Tips
- I usually count 1 tomato per person. If the tomatoes are small, count two tomatoes per person. If the dish is part of a vegetable-based menu or buffet, go crazy!
- It's a little bit of work, but cherry tomatoes au gratin are amazing. It's a shame they go down like pills and are gone in no time. I recommend making them for a few special people. Or for yourself!
