Tomato gratin

All of this Easter candy and ice cream has had me riding a bit of a nonstop sugar rush for the past few days.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade the two final pieces of cheesecake left in my fridge for the world, but I need a bit of a detox.  Last night's dinner was a simple burger, spruced up with some balsamic vinegar mixed in with the ground meat, and the quickest side dish you'll ever make. And, by quick, I mean really quick. Quick like your un-air-conditioned apartment is hotter than it should be for mid April and you can't imagine spending a second longer in front of a hot stove.

The tomatoes are juicy and tender while the parmesan bread crumbs add a flavorful crunch to the whole thing.  It's almost unfair how easy this is, especially since it's so bright and colorful:

Note: If you don't have an ovenproof skillet (i.e. one without any plastic), use your regular one for the stove-top step and just pour tomatoes onto a foil-lined baking sheet and top with bread crumb mixture for the broiler step.

Tomato gratin

(inspired by Food Network magazine)

-serves 4

2 pints grape tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Toss tomatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and thyme into an ovenproof skillet.  Cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes are soft, 6-8 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix 2 T of live oil, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together.  Sprinkle over the tomatoes and put under the broiler until golden on top, 2-3 minutes.  Watch carefully!  And then enjoy not-so-carefully because, after all, this is a pretty rustic side dish.  No room for dainty here.