Tomato Cheddar Gratin Recipes

TOMATO-CHEDDAR STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar, followed by the sun-dried tomatoes and scallions. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (This can also be assembled the day of; just let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.)
• On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CHEESY BARLEY GRATIN

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter and set aside.
• Fill a small pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the barley and boil until just cooked through but still slightly chewy, about 20 minutes (it will continue to cook in the oven). Drain and rinse.
• Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, about 30 seconds. Combine the Gruyere, mozzarella and parmesan in another medium bowl. Add the panko, 1 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the bowl with the melted butter. Use your hands to work the butter into the cheese and breadcrumbs. Set aside.
• Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a wide large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. (The butter will start to foam and brown specks will form, but that is okay; this will add a lot of flavor to the finished dish.) Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and thyme and stir constantly until the garlic is just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a thin paste forms around the onion mixture, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce is a thin gravy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese mixture and cooked barley. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Spoon into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved cheesy breadcrumbs evenly on top of the barley and bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

TOMATO AND CHEDDAR TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Unroll 1 pie dough into a round. Arrange three 4 1/4-inch nonstick tartlet pans on the dough and use a paring knife to cut a circle of dough around each that is about 1/2 inch larger than the pan; these don't have to be perfect, but you want to make sure you cut enough excess dough to fill the pan and up the sides. Press the dough evenly into each pan; if any excess dough goes over the top, simply use the top edge of the tartlet pan to cut it away. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pie crusts. Repeat this process with 3 more tartlet pans and the remaining pie dough. Place the 6 tartlet pans on a baking sheet and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes sit for 10 to 15 minutes for the flavors to combine.
• Bake the crusts until the dough is cooked part of the way through without any color and bubbles form on the bottom and sides, about 6 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• To each tartlet, add about 3 tablespoons of grated Cheddar and spread evenly over the bottom. Top the cheese in each with 8 tomato halves cut-side up, making sure to get some garlic with each tomato. Bake until the crusts are golden brown, the cheese is bubbling and the tomatoes are softened but have not burst, about 30 minutes. Let cool until cool enough to handle, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the tartlets from the tart pans and garnish with small basil leaves.
• These tartlets can be stored in the refrigerator after they have cooled completely and reheated in the oven the next day for great leftovers!

TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Toss 2 pints grape tomatoes, 4 smashed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons fresh thyme in an ovenproof skillet; cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes are soft, 8 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup each breadcrumbs and parmesan; sprinkle over the tomatoes and broil until golden, 3 minutes.

TOMATO GRATIN WITH WHITE CHEDDAR BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix tomatoes, garlic, 2 1/2 tablespoons chives, and Marsala in bowl to blend; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to 8-inch-diameter gratin dish with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
• Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, and olive oil in large bowl to blend. Season topping to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle topping over tomatoes. Bake until juices bubble and topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon chives and serve.

MOM'S CHEDDAR ZUCCHINI, TOMATO, & ONION GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In an 8" x 8" baking dish, lay the zucchini, then the onions, then the tomatoes. Top with a pinch of salt and pepper, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the cheese melted.
• Top with fresh basil if desired and serve.

POTATO, ZUCCHINI, AND TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in upper third. Coat a 9-by-13-inch gratin dish with 1 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with garlic. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice potatoes and zucchini as thinly as possible into rounds. Arrange potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in overlapping layers around prepared dish, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining 4 teaspoons oil, and sprinkle with thyme and cheese.
• Cover with foil; bake until potatoes are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; and serve immediately.

POTATO, ZUCCHINI, AND TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F, with the rack in the upper third. Coat a 9 × 13-inch gratin dish with 1 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with the garlic. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes and zucchini as thinly as possible into rounds. Arrange the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in overlapping layers around the prepared dish, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 4 teaspoons oil, and sprinkle with the thyme and cheese.
• Cover with foil; bake until the potatoes are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil; continue baking until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Remove from the oven, and serve immediately.
• (Per serving)
• Calories: 175
• Fat: 11g
• Cholesterol: 15mg
• Carbohydrate: 14g
• Sodium: 255mg
• Protein: 8g
• Fiber: 5g