Provençal Baked Tomatoes

From the garden

• 6 medium ripe tomatoes, halved through the equator · firm-ripe slicers hold their shape best
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped

From the pantry

• ¾ cup breadcrumbs · dry and coarse, not fine sandy ones
• 4 tbsp olive oil · divided
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional) · common, though the purist version skips it
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the tomatoes through the equator and flick out the loosest seed jelly with a fingertip, leaving the flesh intact. Salt the cut faces, set them cut-side down on a towel, and let them drain 10 minutes: the water they give up now is water the crumbs will not have to fight.
2. Stir the breadcrumbs together with the garlic, parsley, thyme, Parmesan if using, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, a good pinch of salt, and plenty of pepper. The mixture should look like damp sand and clump when you squeeze it.
3. Oil a baking dish and set the tomatoes in cut-side up, snug against each other so they hold one another upright as they soften. Mound the crumb mixture onto each half and press it down lightly, then drizzle over the remaining oil.
4. Roast 25–30 minutes, until the crumbs are deep gold and the tomatoes have slumped and are bubbling at the edges. If the tops darken before the flesh gives way, drop the heat to 350°F and carry on.
5. Rest 5 minutes before serving. These go next to roast chicken, lamb, or grilled fish, and are just as good at room temperature an hour later.