Panko & Parmesan Fried Green Tomatoes served with Whipped Ricotta

I loved eating fried green tomatoes when I was growing up in Florida! They are a bright summer dish and perfect as an appetizer or an indulgent lunch. I found green tomatoes in my local grocery store this weekend so I grabbed some on a whim and threw together this meal. I paired the tomatoes with whipped ricotta for a perfect blend of tangy, creamy, crunchy goodness. I used panko breadcrumbs for the coating to give them an extra crunch and the 1:1 ratio of the panko breadcrumbs to parmesan in the coating really gives it such a nice strong umami flavor!

Panko & Parmesan Fried Green Tomatoes with Whipped Ricotta

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1 person

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup parmesan grated
• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 medium green tomato
• 1 egg
• ½ tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp butter (optional)
• neutral vegetable oil I used avocado
• whole milk ricotta as much as you'd like! I used about ½ cup
• salt to tast

Method

 

1. Slice the green tomato into roughly 1/3 inch slices. (I got 6 slices out of my 1 tomato).
2. Spread the tomato slices on paper towels, sprinkle some salt on them, and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
3. Prepare your whipped ricotta by pulsing it in a food processor for 1-2 minutes until its smooth and spreadable and add a little salt to taste.
4. Dab the tomatoes off with additional paper towels and set them aside to prepare the breading mixtures.
5. Mix together the parmesan, black pepper, and panko breadcrumbs in a wide bowl and add salt to taste.
6. Whisk the egg together in a separate wide bowl.
7. Place a frying pan on the stove and heat up roughly half an inch of oil on medium high heat. I added in a bit of butter to the oil as well but this is optional.
8. Coat each tomato slice with the egg mixture first and then the panko mixture and set aside until all the slices are coated.
9. Place the slices into the pan, a couple at a time, and fry on each side until they are golden brown.
10. Serve these hot with as much whipped ricotta as you'd like and enjoy!

Notes

Tips and Tricks: 

• The panko coating can be a little loose so make sure to really press it on to the tomatoes so it sticks well. 
• Using freshly grated parmesan will allow for the coating to bind together better than pre-grated parmesan.