1. Cut the bread in 2-inch-wide pieces. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, herbs, ¹/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Add the bread, toss to coat, and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring gently every now and then to ensure even coating.

2. In the meantime, core the tomatoes and slice them horizontally in ¹/3-inch slices. Let stand in a colander to drain for 5 minutes. Cut the semi-dried tomato halves in bite-size pieces.

3. Preheat the oven to 400¡F and grease a large baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Arrange the tomato slices over the bottom of the dish, reserving nine of the most attractive for the top. Sprinkle with the remaining ¹/4 teaspoon salt, drizzle with a little olive oil, and top with the garlic and semi-dried tomatoes.

4. Arrange the bread over the tomatoes, pour the remaining egg mixture over the dish, top with the reserved tomato slices, and sprinkle with cheese. (This can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, covered tightly and refrigerated.)

5.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until heated through. Switch to broiler setting and broil for 5 minutes, keep- ing an eye on the dish, until the cheese is golden and the bread is crisp at the edges. Serve with a salad of mixed greens.

Varation: Substitute strips of dry-cured ham for the semi-dried tomatoes.

1.Measure all the ingredients before you start. Combine the butter, salt, and one cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, add the flour all at once, and stir quickly with a wooden spoon until well blended. Return the pan to medium low heat and keep stirring until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

2. Let cool for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, stirring well between each addition, until incorporated. (What you have just made is a pâte à choux.) Sprinkle with cumin and pepper and fold in the cheese. The batter will be thick. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a day.

3. Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the batter from the fridge, and use two teaspoons to shape small balls of batter (about 1 inch in diameter) that you will plop onto the baking sheet, leaving an inch of space between each. If you have to work in batches, cover the batter and return it to the fridge.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffy and golden – however much you want to peek inside, do not open the oven door during the first 10 minutes of baking, or the gougères will not rise well. Turn off the oven, open the oven door just a crack, and leave the gougères in for another 5 minutes. (This helps prevent an abrupt temperature change, which could cause the gougères to deflate and nobody wants that.) Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes and serve warm, or let cool and serve at room temperature.

Note: You can freeze the gougères for up to a month and reheat them (no thawing necessary) in a 350° F oven for 8 minutes. They won’t be as moist as freshly baked ones, but they are very convenient to have on hand for unexpected guests.  

Variations: Replace the cumin with caraway seeds, rosemary, or paprika, or omit the spices all together.

Chilling time: 30 minutes