cherry tomatoes Archives - Proud Italian Cook

Chicken Parmigiana with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

May 12, 2020 by Marie 6 Comments

Chicken parmigiana is an intensely flavored dish of crispy, crunchy chicken topped with warm, oozing melted cheese and then garnished with the luscious flavor of roasted cherry tomatoes.

It all begins with a pan of roasted cherry tomatoes, I’m obsessed with roasting tomatoes, I’ve been doing it for years and you can’t beat the flavor.

I like to line my pan with foil so none of the juices dry up and burn, you want every single drop. I always add shaved garlic into the pan and toss in some fresh basil along with dousing the tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.

You’ll want to roast the tomatoes until they burst open and release their juices so that they all mingle together with the garlic and basil flavors.

You can prepare the tomatoes early in the day, just warm them up before using.

Then you want to cook up your chicken. Sometimes I can find thinly cut chicken cutlets but more often I just trim my own by slicing a breast longways into two or three pieces, then you’ll want to pound then flat for even cooking.

The chicken cutlets are dipped in egg first then into a mix of panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, granulated garlic, fresh snipped parsley and a touch of paprika.

Pan fried in olive oil will give you a nice crunchy crust. Be sure to place them on a rack to keep that crunch after frying, otherwise the bottom might get soggy and believe me you don’t want soggy chicken parmigiana!

Then plop a slab of fresh mozzarella on top, stick the cutlets under the broiler just until the cheese starts to melt. Pull the chicken cutlets out and top them with the warm roasted tomatoes, this is a heavenly combo!

Make this anytime of the week, prepare the tomatoes ahead, then everything else will take no time at all!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Chicken Parmigiana with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

No exact measurements, it will depend on how many cutlets you have. Just mix up your breadcrumb mixture as you go. Start out with 2 eggs.

Author: Marie

Ingredients

chicken cutlets, sliced thin and pounded flat
ROASTED TOMATOES
at least 2 pints of cherry tomatoes
2 or 3 shaved garlic cloves
fresh torn basil
olive oil
BREADCRUMB MIXTURE
panko breadcrumbs
granulated garlic
fresh chopped parsley
a handful of grated parmesan
paprika
2 eggs scrambled
slices of fresh mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F.
Prepare your tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. throw on the tomatoes, shaved garlic, salt, pepper and torn basil, douse with a generous amount of olive oil.
Roast tomatoes until they burst and juices mingle with the olive oil.
Set up your breadcrumb mixture and scrambled eggs.
Dip cutlets into egg first then into crumb mixture then directly into a pan with the bottom coated with olive oil.
Cook cutlets on both sides til golden brown with no pink inside.
Place cooked cutlets onto a rack to stay crispy.
Place the cheese on top then under the broiler just until it melts slightly.
Remove and place them on a platter and spoon the warm, garlicky roasted tomatoes on top.
Garnish with more basil.
Enjoy

6 Comments Filed Under: Poultry, Uncategorized Tagged: cherry tomatoes, chicken parm, parmigiana, roasted tomatoes

Italian Specialty Sausage and Beans

January 24, 2018 by Marie 10 Comments

Here’s a quick mid week meal that comes together really fast, it has just a few ingredients, uses only one pot, and you don’t even have to turn on your oven.

What makes this recipe stand out a little more than the traditional sausage and beans was the fact that this time I used a specialty sausage, you know the ones behind the case that the butchers stuff with unique combinations.

The base was a standard pork Italian sausage that was stuffed and filled with hot giardiniera and provolone cheese, don’t get me wrong you can certainly use your favorite Italian sausage, with or without a specialty filling, but why not change it up a bit and try something a little different, there are so many different varieties of sausages.

You’ll use canned beans in this dish which is the reason the cooking process is so speedy and of course the beans of choice are cannellini.

Browning the sausage is your first step, that process will leave you with nice brown bits that will form at the bottom of the pan, perfect to saute the garlic and tomatoes in and eventually creating a delicious sauce.

Canned beans go into the pot along with the browned sausage, then all you have to do is let all the flavors simmer and meld together.

Finish it off with some fresh torn basil and a side of crusty bread and this meal is complete!

Follow Proud Italian Cook on Instagram to see what else Im cooking up during the week.

Italian Specialty Sausage and Beans

This recipe was inspired by an episode I watched on Extra Virgin

Author: Marie

Ingredients

4-6 Italian sausage links, either traditional or to try something different using the specialty, gourmet kind that the butcher stuffs with various combinations of ingredients.
1 lb. of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
2 15 oz. cans of cannellini beans that have been drained and rinsed
4 large garlic cloves, shaved
basil leaves
olive oil

Instructions

Heat a heavy bottom high sided saute pan, cast iron pan or a smaller size dutch oven, drizzle the bottom with olive oil.
Place the sausage links into the hot pan and brown both sides, then remove and set aside.
Add the shaved garlic, moving it around until it's nice and golden.
Toss in the sliced cherry tomatoes along with the shaved garlic, toss to coat the tomatoes.
Now add the drained beans to the pot, stirring to make sure they get coated with the garlic and tomatoes.
Drizzle some olive oil on top, a little salt and pepper.
Add back the sausage and nestle them into the pot.
Throw some torn basil leaves in.
Simmer with a lid on until the sausage is all cooked through and the tomatoes break down and thicken.
Add fresh torn basil leaves for garnish and added flavor.
Enjoy with some crusty bread!

10 Comments Filed Under: Beans, Meats, Winter Tagged: cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, comfort food, gourmet sausage, Italian sausage, sausage and beans, specialty sausage

Tomato Bread

September 7, 2016 by Marie 8 Comments

It may be the last days of summer but there are plenty of tomatoes still available and they still taste amazing. I see cherry tomatoes everywhere and they are just perfect for my tomato bread.

Even in the dead of winter you could still make this tomato bread because quite honestly somehow they taste pretty decent, either that or I’m just desperate.

This bread is so fun to make, it’s SUPER easy and tastes off the charts and the bonus is the pretty presentation, so what’s not to like?

Take a skinny baguette, cut it in half lengthwise and make a trench right down the middle by pulling out some of the bread then you’ll be able to easily place your tomatoes in there securely.

I like using a skinny baguette but I was thinking you could use a wider one, why not? just make more trenches. You could even cut a large ciabatta loaf and dot the tomatoes all around in little trenches, use your imagination.

Prepare a foil lined baking sheet, drizzle the bottom with olive oil, set your tomatoes stem side down then drizzle each piece of bread all over with olive oil including the tomatoes.

Take some shredded mozzarella and place it randomly all over the sliced baguette, less is more, then grind some black pepper all around.

Place them into a heated 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes or so, the bread will crisp, the mozzarella will be golden brown and the tomatoes will wrinkle and burst, and the best part is the juice will drip into the crusty bread, oh my!

Garnish it with finely chopped basil of course because that’s a must, then I guarantee that after your first bite you will shout out the words OMG!

Here’s a “toast” literally, to the end of summer!

Want to see all the things I’m cooking up during the week? You can follow Proud Italian Cook on Instagram here.

8 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Breads, Side Dishes Tagged: cherry tomatoes, tomato bread

Sugar Sweet Cherry Tomatoes

August 8, 2011 by Marie 28 Comments

I heart cherry tomatoes, especially with the different combinations of color. The possibilities are endless on what you can do with them. Like little jewels to accessorize your food!

Fortunately for me, now is the time that I’m guaranteed a big bowl full every time I step into my garden!

I’ve been stuffing them with creamy goat cheese, one bite wonders busting with flavor! Warning… Be careful they’re like eating candy you can’t stop!

I constantly roast them on sheet pans, bathing the tiny tomatoes in olive oil and shaved garlic, then I tuck them away in my fridge for later use.

Like when I toss them into my scrambled eggs for breakfast along with lots of green onions and serve it on top of crusty Italian bread toast. Simple, but out of this world!

When you roast them the juice seeps from the tomatoes into the garlicky oil and it becomes the perfect sauce for your pasta, add shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. It’s as close to perfection as you’re going to get!

Thanks again to my friend Linda for sending me the seeds to grow these adorable round zucchini, after I roasted them I stuffed my pasta into it’s perfect edible bowl!