At a high temperature, tomatoes turn soft and juicy, with the occasional roasted edge. Crispy garlic crumbs, green basil oil and a splash of red wine vinegar keep everything fresh and give each bite contrast.
This side dish is all about the contrast between warm, split tomatoes and crumbs that stay truly crisp. Ripe tomatoes release moisture as they roast; spreading them out on a large baking sheet lets that moisture evaporate instead of leaving the tomatoes to stew. A high oven temperature helps the skins split and gives the tomatoes browned edges in places. Choose small tomatoes that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same time. You can halve cocktail tomatoes, while cherry tomatoes can stay whole.
In the Netherlands, tomatoes are at their best in summer, when they are ripe and fragrant. This dish works outside the season too, but taste the tomatoes before putting them in the oven: less-ripe ones may need a little extra salt and might benefit from a little more vinegar after roasting. Red wine vinegar brightens the concentrated tomato juices; add it only after the tomatoes come out of the oven to preserve its fresh, sharp flavour. Mild apple cider vinegar works too, but balsamic is often sweeter and makes the result less fresh.
Cook the breadcrumbs separately from the tomatoes. In the oven, moisture from the tomatoes would soften the crumbs, while a frying pan gives you control to toast them evenly until golden. Stale white bread or sourdough both work: grind it coarsely for a hearty crunch, or finely for a more even layer. Stir in the garlic over low heat when the crumbs are almost ready; this gives it time to release its aroma and flavour without quickly turning dark and bitter. Keep the crumbs separate until serving.
Basil oil adds a fresh, herbal aroma and brings the different elements together on the plate. Use only the leaves and blend them briefly with mild olive oil; blending for too long can warm the oil and dull its colour. If you don't have a blender, finely chop the basil and stir it into the oil. Serve the tomatoes warm as a side dish with grilled vegetables, fish or chicken, or with bread to soak up the juices. Once cool, cover and refrigerate leftovers and eat them within two days; store the crumbs separately and add them just before serving.
Preheat the oven to 220 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat). Halve the larger tomatoes and leave small cherry tomatoes whole. Toss them on a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread them out in a single layer.
Roast the tomatoes for 20–25 minutes, until soft and split, with dark edges in a few places.
Meanwhile, make the basil oil: briefly blend the basil leaves with the mild olive oil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until you have a bright green oil. Scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the breadcrumbs for 4–6 minutes, tossing regularly, until golden and crisp. Turn the heat to low, stir in the grated garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the crumbs from the pan to a plate.
Spoon the warm tomatoes and their juices onto a serving platter. Drizzle with the red wine vinegar and basil oil, and taste to see if they need more salt. Sprinkle the garlic crumbs over just before serving.
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