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You can make these with any tomato varieties, and even when tomatoes aren’t at their peak, because slow-cooking the tomatoes concentrates their flavor. The tomatoes are topped with breadcrumbs, garlic, and fresh herbs, so after they’re cooked, the topping is crunchy and delicious, like the best part of a casserole. If you want to bake these outdoors, create a small oven in your cinder block pit following the instructions in Step 10 of Building a Cinder Block Pit.
8 ripe round, red TOMATOES
4 tablespoons OLIVE OIL, plus more for brushing on the tomatoes
KOSHER SALT and freshly ground BLACK PEPPER
11/2 cups coarse fresh BREADCRUMBS
3 GARLIC CLOVES, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh THYME LEAVES
Preheat the oven to 225°F.
Cut 1/2 inch off the tops of the tomatoes to create a flat surface. Discard the tops (or snack on them). Brush or drizzle the tops of the tomatoes lightly with oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes cut side down on a baking sheet or in a baking pan and bake for 1 hour to dry them out slightly.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt, and toast them until golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring often so they don’t burn.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Turn the tomatoes cut side up. Slip the garlic slices into the natural cavities in the tomatoes so only the very edge of the slices is visible.
Top the tomatoes with the breadcrumbs and thyme, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Return them to the oven for 1 hour or until the tops are golden brown.