Friday, September 3, 2021

Baked Tomatoes Marchigiano Style and a Verdicchio Wine #ItalianFWT

Enjoy those sun ripened tomatoes from your garden with this delicious dish that is great as a side dish or can be served up for a vegetarian main course.

Baked Tomatoes and Wine

Marche, Italy is home to this delicious baked tomato dish that I served up with a crisp, bright Verdicchio from the same area.
wine

Marcia of Joy of Wine is hosting our Italian Food Wine and Travel group today and invited us to explore Verdicchio Wines saying "Verdicchio is one of Italy's most ageable white grapes. Let's explore this amazing grape from Jesi or Matelica and also the gastronmic region of Marche!"  You can learn more at her invitation post.

We are all meeting up for Twitter Chat tomorrow at 11 AM ET.  We would love if you would join us, either to teach us what you know about Verdicchio wine or to learn what we have discovered about them this month.  You will find us by following #ItalianFWT.

Here are the topics we will be discussing and links to the articles written this month.........

dinner plate with wine

I knew that I wanted to pair this wine with the Marchigiano Baked Tomatoes but that was as far as my plan had gotten.  Then, one very hot and sultry day, as Frank and I were lounging in the pool, he called his sister and asked her to come and join us.  

I decided that I better figure out what I was going to serve for dinner.  I had some boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the refrigerator so I pulled them out. I mixed together some olive oil, lemon, garlic and Italian herbs in a gallon freezer bag, added the chicken, sealed it and massaged that marinade all over the chicken before placing it back in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.  

I spied some baby potatoes and some beautiful heirloom tomatoes on the counter and remembered about the baked tomatoes.  I cut the tomatoes in half, placed them on a baking sheet and topped them with a flavorful topping of breadcrumbs and cheese.  They were set aside until it was time to pop them into the oven.  I tossed the potatoes with olive oil and Italian herbs and set them aside to get put into a grill pan.  Lastly, I pulled out the bottle of Verdicchio, poured us each a glass and brought it out to the pool for us to enjoy with some shrimp cocktail that Roz had brought with her.

This CaSal di Serra Verdicchio from Umani Ronchi was purchased through wine.com for less than $20.  It poured a beautiful lemon color, smelled of wildflowers and fruit and was bright and smooth with just a hint of tartness.  

This Verdicchio is made with organically grown fruit from ancient vines.  Umani Ronchi is owned by the Bianchi-Bernetti family and specializes n Verdicchio and Montepulciano.  Their winery is located in Marche that stretches along Italy's Eastern coast.  It paired beautifully, not only with the tomatoes but with the entire dinner and the shrimp appetizer.  



Vegetables, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Baked, Tomatoes
Vegetables, Sides
Italian
Yield: 4 servings (side dish)
Author: Wendy Klik
Baked Tomatoes Marchigiano Style

Baked Tomatoes Marchigiano Style

Enjoy those sun ripened tomatoes from your garden with this delicious dish that is great as a side dish or can be served up for a vegetarian main course.
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Ingredients

  • 2-3 large tomatoes (I used heirloom)
  • 1 c. panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c. grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6-8 basil leaves, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • olive oil

Instructions

  1. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and place cut side up on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Place the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic and basil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, then add a good drizzle of your best olive oil.  Toss together until crumbs are coated.
  3. Divide the crumbs and place on top of the tomato halves.  Drizzle with additional olive oil and place in a preheated 375* oven for about 15 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the tomatoes are softened but still holding their shape.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

199.95

Fat (grams)

7.75

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.54

Carbs (grams)

25.16

Fiber (grams)

2.67

Net carbs

22.49

Sugar (grams)

4.77

Protein (grams)

7.99

Sodium (milligrams)

421.05

Cholesterol (grams)

10.40

9 comments:

  1. Wildflowers! That is the floral note I smelled when I tasted the wine,thank you for pinpointing what I couldn't! Somehow my brain went to all the other flowers. So simple and that description really evokes the idea of flowers in a field which is so much more than an aroma descriptor!

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    1. I think that this is a lovely, casual wine. I think that's why wildflowers popped into my head Robin.

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  2. I can't wait to try this! I have some beautiful tomatoes from friends' gardens...it will be perfect made like this.

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  3. Looking forward to making this tomato dish. A good use for the current crop! The wine, a difficult one to find here though. Would have to order online? Haven't done that with wines before.

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    Replies
    1. I live in a rural area Claudia so most of my wine is bought through wine.com. I have had very good luck with them.

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  4. That sounds like an absolutely delightful afternoon and evening. I also know this bottle well and it is quite tasty!

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  5. Ok I'm trying this comment again. Please delete if you see multiple! This Verdicchio is solid! We sell this one in our store too. I will most assuredly be trying this recipe as I love tomatoes and your use of heirloom tomatoes bright me back to my trip to Marche/Abruzzo and having fresh picked pomadori for BREAKFAST.

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    Replies
    1. Third time must be the charm Marcia. This is the only comment to show. I think tomatoes for breakfast is perfect and I might even crack open a bottle of wine to enjoy with them LOL.

      Delete

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