Cheese and tomato one-pan feast

Well hello there.  Tomato glut?  Yeah, me too.  Much of it not my own harvest on account of abdominal surgery recovery and whatnot, so I am doubly grateful for all of the tasty goodness that has been kindly coming my way of late.  All gifts of excess produce gratefully received chez nous (yes, that is a hint).

Cherokee Purples are on high rotation in my kitchen at the moment.  They are gorgeous beauties – heirloom tomatoes, which means they are cultivated from seeds passed down through families, rather than seeds developed for the commercial market.  One of the things I love most about Cherokee Purples are their imperfections compared to a standard tomato – all lumps and patchy colours.  It makes me think about how many of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy today look so different from their ancestors.

Shuffling around the house in my pyjamas has necessitated some easy meals.  This recipe is cheesy and hearty and perfect if you have tomatoes needing using.  Cherokee Purples, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on some, are perfect for this as they are so big and juicy and meaty.   Don’t be discouraged if you can’t – the cheesy, eggy combination means any tomato is just the icing on the cake.

Ingredients (for one, or two if you serve with toast):

1 t olive oil

1 cup chopped fresh tomato

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (such as the ubiquitous Tasty, if you are in New Zealand)

1/2 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat your oven grill.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.  After a minute, add the tomato.  Stir to release some of the tomato juices and let it cook until it softens slightly – about two minutes.

Whisk the eggs, cheese, milk and salt and pepper together in a bowl.  Give it a good, hearty whisking – this will help the final product be nice and puffy.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, spread the tomato evenly throughout the pan.

Pour the egg mixture over the tomato.  Let it bubble and, when you can see the egg mixture  is just starting to set, put the pan under the grill.

Grill until the top is golden-brown and the egg is puffing up.  Use a fish slice to scoop it out of the pan – sometimes I manage to get it out so it stays whole, and sometimes it winds up being a pile of cheese, egg and tomato on my plate!  This doesn’t effect the taste, promise.