Fried Tomatoes

• Line a wire rack with a couple of layers of paper towels. Lay the sliced tomatoes on the paper towels. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Allow them to drain for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
• Meanwhile, get your dredging station set up. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk and eggs. In another bowl, stir to combine cornmeal, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• At the end of the 20 minutes, use a paper towel to blot any excess moisture off the tomatoes. You want them to be as dry as possible before moving on.
• Dredge each tomato slice in the buttermilk mixture then coat it in the cornmeal mixture. Place battered tomatoes on the lined baking sheet, repeating until all tomatoes are coated.

To fry in oil:

• Heat ½ – 1 inch of oil in a large, deep skillet to 350ºF. Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.
• Add battered tomato slices to the skillet in batches and fry until golden brown on one side (about 2-4 minutes). Then flip and fry until golden brown on the other side.
• Transfer fried tomatoes to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain before serving. Garnish with basil (optional) and enjoy.

To air fry:

• Lightly grease the air fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray. Place 4-5 battered tomatoes in the air fryer basket and mist tops with the olive oil spray.
• Air fry at 400ºF for 4-5 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Turn the tomato slices over, spray with olive oil, and air fry for an additional 2-4 minutes or until golden brown.
• Garnish with basil (optional) and serve.