Tomatoes Au Gratin

This is a great Make-Ahead dish, ideal for when the hords are coming for dinner.. AND it's super easy to prepare. Bonus! I have listed the recipe as I found it but at ours we prefer extra garlic and TONS of fresh basil.. whooo devine, Guests went back for seconds and thirds...one day I will grab a photo of the inside, so far my guests have been too quick LOL. Posted for RecipeZaar World Tour 2006.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 900  g tomatoes (2 lb)
• 50  g butter (2 oz) or 50  g margarine, softened (2 oz)
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 5  ml sugar (1 teaspoon)
• 20  ml fresh basil, chopped (4 teaspoons)
• 5  ml sugar (1 teaspoon)
•  salt
•  pepper
• 300  ml  cream (10 oz)
• 50  g  dried breadcrumbs (2oz)
• 25  g parmesan cheese (1 oz)

Directions

1. Skin the tomatoes by putting them into a bowl, adding boiling water and leaving them for 20 seconds, drain and plunge them into cold water, the skins should come off easily.
2. Slice the tomatoes thinly.
3. Grease a baking dish well with some butter, arrange a layer of tomato slices evenly on the bottom of the dish and then sprinkle with some of the garlic, sugar, basil, salt and pepper.
4. Add a thin layer of cream and repeat with more tomato sllice layers until all ingredients are used.
5. Mix the parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs together and srinkle over the top.
6. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top.
7. Bake in the oven at 189 C (350 F) for 40 minutes until golden brown.
8. Serve hot.