From oven to table with nothing in between: that is what a half-quart baker is for. The Lastra Small Oval Baker takes a single gratin, a side of scalloped potatoes, a baked egg or a reheated portion of last night's lasagna, then goes straight onto a trivet without the food ever changing dishes. Lastra's form comes from the circular wooden slabs Italian cheesemakers bound with twine, left slightly overlapping so the wheel held its shape, and maestro molder Stefano Roselli works that overlap from the foot of each piece to the rim. Handcrafted in Tuscany from Italian stoneware, in the ceramic tradition that region is known for, the white oval baker is built for the kind of cooking that happens on a Tuesday and still looks right set down in the middle of the table.