'Mato Sammidges
Top Tomato 2008 Winner
- Course: Main Course
Summary:
These are rich sandwiches made without bread: A combination of soft herbed cheese and bacon goes between thick slices of tomato, then the short stacks are breaded and sauteed on the stove top.
Warm sammidges can be cut into quarters and served as hors d'oeuvres.
For filling variations, a mix of cream cheese and blue cheese could be used (without the bacon), which would make a nice sammidge to accompany grilled steak. Replace the bacon with a thin slice of roast beef and use brie for a lunchtime sammidge, or make it meatless with homemade pesto and shavings of Parmesan cheese.
8 half-sammidge servings
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut horizontally into 8 slices that are 1/2 inch thick
- 2 5.2-ounce packages garlic- and herb-flavored soft cheese, such as Boursin, at room temperature
- 8 slices thick-sliced bacon, cooked until crisp, then drained
- 2 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Flour
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned fine dried bread crumbs
Directions:
Place the tomato slices between paper towels for 15 minutes to drain any excess juices.
Make at least 4 matching pairs of similar-size slices. Spread a thick layer of cheese (1/4 inch) on one side of each tomato slice. Crumble the bacon and divide evenly over four of the slices. Mate the halves together to make sammidges (sandwiches).
Lay a few layers of paper towels on a platter placed near the stove top. Heat the oil (as needed) in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
Meanwhile, season the flour liberally with salt and pepper and place in a shallow bowl; place the beaten eggs and bread crumbs nearby in separate shallow bowls. Coat both sides of each sammidge, first in the seasoned flour, then in the egg and then in the bread crumbs, shaking off any excess bread crumbs while making sure the sammidges are well covered.
Cook the sammidges for 2 to 3 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms, then carefully turn them over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on the second side. (If working in batches, add oil as needed.) Transfer to the paper towel-lined platter to drain slightly; serve warm.
Recipe Source:
From Mary Jo Sweeney of Crownsville, Md., first-place winner of the Food section's 2008 Top Tomato Recipe Contest.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
(Linda Davidson - The Washington Post)
