Savory Tomato Pudding

Name: Savory Tomato Pudding
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored; 1 large clove garlic, chopped fine; 1 1/2 tablespoons richly flavored extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, plus sprigs for garnish; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 12-inch length of baguette, 2 1/2 to 3 inches diameter

By Florence Fabricant

Total Time: 25 minutes
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

2pounds ripe tomatoes, cored
1large clove garlic, chopped fine
1½tablespoons richly flavored extra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoons finely chopped basil, plus sprigs for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper
112-inch length of baguette, 2½ to 3 inches diameter

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Place them in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped fine. Or chop them fine by hand.
Step 2
Stir in the garlic, olive oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Cut the bread into slices about ½-inch thick. You should have about 18 slices.
Step 4
Place 3 to 4 of the bread slices in the bottom of a 6-cup mixing bowl, trimming them if necessary so they completely cover the bottom of the bowl. Spoon about a quarter of the tomato mixture over the bread, enough to cover it. Make another layer of the bread, another of tomato, another bread, another of tomato and finish with a layer of the bread. Except for the bread in the bottom of the bowl, the other layers do not have to fit tightly.
Step 5
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then set a dish that will fit inside the rim of the bowl directly on the wrap. Weight this dish with a heavy can of food, a rock or other heavy object and place this assembly in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Put the bowl on a plate to catch any liquid that may spill over.
Step 6
To serve, remove the weight, the plate and wrap. Run a flexible knife or spatula around the pudding inside the bowl to loosen it. Unmold the pudding onto a serving dish that has enough of a rim to catch any juices. Garnish the pudding with sprigs of basil and serve in wedges.