muirglen.jpgMy husband didn’t “get” this dish, but it was easy, tasty, and a great way to use up the remains of a good loaf of bread you might otherwise discard or turn into breadcrumbs. With a side of simple pasta, this is a great vegetarian main course.

Items

  • 3 28oz cans whole tomatoes (I used Muir Glen fire-roasted organics, which are quite good)
  • 8 or so 1/2″ thick slices good-quality crusty bread (e.g. sourdough)
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp reshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/8 tsp ground clove
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Drain tomatoes, reserving 1 cup of the juice.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Sautee the onions with 1/2 tsp salt 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
  4. Add garlic, clove, and allspice and cook a minute or two more.
  5. Add tomatoes with the reserved juice and the brown sugar and pepper, and simmer over medium heat about 20 minutes, until thickened somewhat.
  6. Melt the butter in a small dish, and brush the bread on both sides with the butter.
  7. Transfer the tomato mixture to a 9×13″ baking dish. Top with the bread so the entire casserole is covered with bread slices, overlapping a bit. Top with the mozzarella and Parmiggiano cheese.
  8. Bake 20 minutes or so until the top is browned and bubbling vigorously.

Serves 6.