Let's Get Fresh: Frugal Foodie Mama Recipe for Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on August 25, 2019 from Let’s Get Fresh
It’s that time again – time for Frugal Foodie Mama and our monthly recipe! This recipe looks pretty darned amazing and the weekend looks to be perfect weather to get out to the market and shop for the ingredients!
If you visit the Bridgeport Farmers Market on any given Sunday during their outdoor season, you are sure to find at least 40 different local farmers selling their freshly picked vegetables and pasture raised eggs & meats from baskets and coolers at various tables throughout the market. I am on a mission once again during this outdoor farmers market season to show you how you can create a delicious meal purchasing mostly locally grown & raised produce and meats at the market this summer. For the month of August, I am sharing the recipe for this creamy & savory Caprese Tomato Bread Pudding. 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.
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.
This month’s recipe features eggs from Sweet Wind Farm, heirloom cherry tomatoes from Green Acres Farm, sourdough bread from Sew Kneaded, and fresh basil from Mt Hollow Farm. Be sure to stop by their tables during your next visit to the Bridgeport Farmers Market, and tell them I sent you.
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
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!
