Frugal Foodie Mama: Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding

This creamy & savory Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding is a delicious & easy way to enjoy the fresh flavors of the summer season...

This recipe first appeared on the Bridgeport Farmers Market Let's Get Fresh site.

I am on a mission once again this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing mostly locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market. I started this locally inspired recipe series in the summer of 2017, and I am thrilled to be continuing the series this year as well. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market.

Both of my kiddos are back in school now & the summer is winding down, but the heirloom tomato game is still going strong at my local farmers market each weekend. Sweet & juicy garden fresh tomatoes really are one of the best things about the end of the summer growing season.

Usually I am drawn to big, fat heirloom tomatoes that are bigger than the size of my palm, but I spied some gorgeous heirloom cherry tomatoes a couple of weeks ago at the market & I just knew that I had to use them in a recipe.

And what better way to showcase these sweet little beauties than in a creamy & savory bread pudding? I know bread puddings are typically sweet & served as a dessert, but this savory version makes it the perfect addition to a weekend brunch or as a quick & easy lunch idea. It also makes a tasty side dish when served alongside a salad or pasta dish.

One of my favorite summertime flavor combos is anything Caprese style, so I added fresh basil & creamy fresh mozzarella slices to the sweet tomatoes in this bread pudding recipe. The results? An amazing dish that highlights the lingering fresh flavors of the summer season.

You can serve this dish either warm or cold. Feel free to finish it off with a drizzle of good quality olive oil or a balsamic reduction right before serving. I used a Tuscan herb infused olive oil I had picked up in an olive oil & vinegar tap room in Ohio.

A few notes about this recipe:

I used a good quality loaf of locally baked sourdough bread in this recipe. You could try a different bread such as Italian or French in this instead. The key is make sure the bread is a day or two old. They work best in bread pudding recipes.
If you can't find heirloom cherry tomatoes, you can use regular heirloom tomatoes instead. Just chop into 1 inch pieces before adding them to the egg/milk mixture.
I strongly recommend using slices of fresh mozzarella in this recipe, but you could certainly top this bread pudding with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella if you are in a pinch.
The fresh basil is essential for the recipe. I wouldn't recommend subbing in dried basil instead.
I finished this bread pudding off with a drizzle of herb infused olive oil right before serving, but a balsamic reduction would work well with this recipe too. Not sure how to make a balsamic reduction? Then check out this recipe from Joyful Healthy Eats.

Yield: Serves 6-8

Author: Carrie Robinson

Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding

prep time: 15 min cook time: 60 min total time: 75 min

ingredients:

1 sourdough bread loaf, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
6 large eggs
1 pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes
2 oz of fresh mozzarella, sliced
4 tbsp of fresh basil leaves, chopped & divided
Good quality olive oil or a balsamic reduction for drizzling (optional)

instructions:

How to cook Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray the inside of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, salt, pepper, & eggs. Add in the bread cubes, cherry tomatoes, & 2 tbsp of the chopped basil and mix well to coat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pie plate. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 400 degrees until the bread pudding is set, about 40-50 minutes. Uncover the bread pudding and top with the mozzarella slices, tucking them around & under the bread cubes & cherry tomatoes. Bake until the cheese is melted & slightly golden brown, about an additional 5-10 minutes.
Once baked through, allow the bread pudding to cool to warm. Sprinkle the remaining fresh basil over top. Drizzle each slice with olive oil or a balsamic reduction right before serving.
Enjoy!

Created using The Recipes Generator

What is one of your favorite ways to enjoy those end of summer tomatoes? :)

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