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Start by preheating the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Prepare 750g of large tomatoes by twisting them off their stems and slicing each one in half. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in a roasting tin or baking dish. Take the leaves off several sprigs of thyme, enough to fill 2 tbsp. Finely chop the thyme leaves and mix them with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Season the mixture with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Drizzle the seasoned oil over the tomatoes.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes until the tomatoes are tender, and their skins have slightly darkened and caramelized where they touch the tin. While the tomatoes are baking, grate the zest from 1 lemon, roughly chop 15 basil leaves, 12 chives, and a good handful of parsley leaves.
In a shallow pan, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil, add 40g of fresh coarsely grated breadcrumbs and the lemon zest. Cook them over moderate heat until lightly browned and starting to crisp. Stir in the chopped basil, chives, and parsley. Season with a little salt and set aside until the tomatoes are ready.
Sprinkle the toasted crumbs over the tomatoes, drizzle with a little more oil, and return them to the oven for about 10 minutes. This recipe serves 2 people.
I often accompany this dish with a pot of steamed rice or couscous, allowing the herby-olive-oily juices to enhance the flavors of the grains.
The crumb crust also works well with baked aubergines. Cut the aubergines in half, generously coat them with olive oil, garlic purée, and thyme, then bake until they become soft and succulent. Finally, top them with the herb-seasoned crumbs.
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