Fresh Tomato Faux Lasagna

February 26, 2013

Hey guys! Sorry to have been a little unplugged and neglectful on the blog and social media over the weekend. Saturday night, Mike and I babysat our 4-month-old and 2-year-old nephews. After that we were a bit wiped out.

We seriously poured a glass of wine and sat in silence for an hour.

The next day I got hit by some kind of bug. I feel like I have been sick so many times this winter. I have also noticed that each bout happens to follow a visit with my favorite little ones. I am hoping I am not allergic to my little carrier nieces and nephews. I think that I might be reaching on that one…

The only upside I can find to being home sick is my discovery of Downton Abbey. I am already on to season two. I called Mike my “footman” when I was bundled up on the couch, being all gross and sick, because he kept bringing me water, soup, and Tylenol. I had to explain to him the different positions at the Abbey, and then he laughed.

For those of you not on the bandwagon, the footmen are basically the servers of the house.

Anyway, while I continue to recover, enjoy this easy recipe that I wish I could eat right now. Its freshness will have you longing for summer.

Fresh Tomato Faux Lasagna

Course Entree/Side
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Author Sarcastic Cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 Large Heirloom/Beefsteak Tomatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • Big Pinch of Salt and Pepper
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Basil
  • 1 Pound Fresh Mozzarella

Instructions

  1. Slice tomatoes ½” thick. Discard top stem portion and bottom slice.
  2. Mix balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and half the chopped basil together in a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced tomatoes, mix to evenly coat, and let them marinate for 10 minutes.
  3. Set the broiler on high and keep the oven door cracked open.
  4. Slice the fresh mozzarella into ½” thick slices.
  5. Arrange the tomatoes and cheese in a circle at a slight angle in a pie pan or 10 ½” circular baking dish, alternating between cheese and tomato until you have gone around the entire pan.
  6. Place under the broiler, with the door cracked open, for 20-25 minutes until the top of the cheese turns slightly golden and bubbles. Keep an eye on it because every broiler is different.
  7. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with remaining basil, and serve hot when cheese is still melty. Dish is best eaten on the day it is made. Serve as a light main course or a side dish with a protein.

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  • Wendy
    February 26, 2013 at 8:45 pm

    Little guys spend a whole lot of time on the floor. Then we pick them up and snuggle them and kiss all those little fingers and toes. I wonder where the germs come from? 🙂 They are sooo worth it 🙂
    So sorry you weren’t feeling well. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have some fresh from the garden tomatoes right now? I will very happily settle for this lasagna.

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    February 26, 2013 at 7:12 pm

    I wanna slap this on a baguette and call it love.

  • Isabelle @ Crumb
    February 26, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    I like to joke that babysitting my 2 year old nephew is the best birth control ever. He’s cute, but man, he’s a handful. All it takes is one hour with him, and my biological clock shuts the hell up. 🙂
    Hope you’re feeling better soon. Downton Abbey and lots of chicken soup sounds like the perfect combination for a quick recovery.
    (Also, this “lasagna”? Genius. I’m loving that gooey cheese action in the second-last shot.)

  • Susan
    February 26, 2013 at 3:42 pm

    I hope your feeling better. Love Downton, season 3 is a bit of a killer though (um. . no pun, seriously) and this dish needs to happen.

    • Stefanie
      February 26, 2013 at 6:40 pm

      Ugh! That is what I hear. I am not looking forward to it.

  • Ashleigh
    February 26, 2013 at 3:12 pm

    Omg, I need to make this! It would be amazing with a balsamic glaze too. I was in a Downton blur the past week, trying to catch up before social media ruined the ending of season 3. You are lucky you are unplugged, it’s so hard to avoid spoilers!

    • Stefanie
      February 26, 2013 at 6:41 pm

      I think when everybody was watching the past seasons I wasn’t interested so I just avoided all things Downton. So happy I just started now.

  • Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
    February 26, 2013 at 12:56 pm

    Awww babysitting cute lil ones!

    I love this “faux lasagna”-these tomatoes look gorgeous and fresh and delicious.

  • Jennie @themessybakerblog
    February 26, 2013 at 9:49 am

    This looks so good. You don’t realize how much you enjoy silence until it’s taken from you for a few hours. We don’t have children, so after I babysit, I just want to chill out with a book or my knitting with no background noise.

  • Julia
    February 26, 2013 at 9:45 am

    I hope you are feeling better. Since I had my son I noticed my husband and I get sick a whole lot more..those little ones are carriers of a lot of stuff! This recipe looks easy and really delicious. I am a huge fan of caprese salads in the summer and this is like a winter version–baked and all cheesy. Love it.

  • Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    February 26, 2013 at 9:44 am

    Aw, hope you’re feeling better! Kids are fun, but man are they germy! This “lasagna” looks delicious! Kind of like a hot caprese salad!