{"id":8536,"date":"2025-05-21T12:26:43","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T16:26:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/recipephany.com\/?p=8536"},"modified":"2025-05-25T19:30:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T23:30:15","slug":"tomato-pudding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/recipephany.com\/?p=8536","title":{"rendered":"Tomato Pudding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It beats me why this North Carolina sweet-and-savory classic never swept the rest of the country. Maybe it\u2019s because the name sounds too much like dessert. And while it may be distantly related to bread pudding, tomato pudding identifies as a side dish. Perfect for a holiday dinner or barbecue, it dresses up any meal. Nobody has to know it\u2019s embarrassingly easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A neighbor in Raleigh introduced me to the joy of tomato pudding and gave me her \u201crecipe\u201d: Mix stale bread with a can of stewed tomatoes and bake. I realized later she\u2019d forgotten to mention the butter\u2014the universal secret ingredient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet the whole thing tastes far better than its parts. As it bakes and bubbles up, the sugars and butter do their Maillard magic to caramelize the tomatoes and slightly toast the bread. Flavors intensify far beyond what could come out of a can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humble beginnings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The alleged birthplace of tomato pudding, Bertie County in Eastern North Carolina, is not far from where I lived when my father was stationed with the Marine Corps at Cherry Point. Bertie is pronounced \u201cber-TEE.\u201d This unexpected accent on the second syllable reminds me of our closest city, New Bern, where the stress falls on \u201cNew.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bumper crop of tomatoes in the region in the 1800s led families to create new ways to serve them. And what could be easier and more economical than using up stale bread with the tomatoes? It could even serve as a meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, cooks back then stewed their own tomatoes. And some added heaps of sugar, which did turn the pudding into more of a dessert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now if you\u2019re reluctant to use canned stewed tomatoes, consider this. We give you recipes for puff<\/a> <\/a>pastry<\/a>, chutney<\/a>, and many other grocery-aisle items because we think you should make them yourself. And yet we’re fully behind using canned stewed tomatoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Because it’s quick, easy, and inexpensive. And the tomato pudding doesn\u2019t care. So why mess with success? (A little chopped onion saut\u00e9ed in butter can pump up the natural sweetness, though.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treat your family and friends to a luscious side dish they\u2019ve probably never even heard of. And if anyone asks, it took you all day.  <\/p>\n\n\n

Tomato Pudding<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n