Stuffed Tomatoes With Cheese And Olives
WHAT IS THE BEST TOMATO VARIETY FOR STUFFING? It’s fun to experiment with different varieties when making stuffed tomatoes. For this recipe, you want to find a medium-sized, firm-fleshed variety. The best stuffing varieties shouldn’t have partitions in the cavity that are packed with gel and seeds; instead, look for varieties that have a seed bed cluster, almost like a small strawberry inside the tomato.
Ingredients
- 4 medium firm ripe tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil leaves
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 cup or 200 g shredded Graviera cheese or any other mild, semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese
- 1/2 cup or 80 g pitted Greek Kalamata olives chopped in smaller pieces or a selection of various Greek olives
- 1/2 cup of day-old bread crusts removed, cut in ½-inchcubes
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Sprigs of rosemary for garnish
Instructions
-
Cut the crowns off the tomatoes and reserve. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the tomato pulp and puree it in a food processor. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
-
Add half the herbs and half the olive oil. Stir in the bread cubes, letting the mixture sit , till it absorbs the wonderful juices. Add the cheese and olives to the bread-tomato mixture. Mix in remaining olive oil and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-
Preheat the oven to 375F/180C.
-
Lightly oil a small baking dish and place the tomatoes in the dish. The dish should be large enough for the tomatoes to fit snugly. Stuff the tomatoes with the cheese-bread mixture. Place the tomato crowns back on the tomatoes. Bake until the tomatoes are soft and the filling oozy, about 20 - 30 minutes. Remove and serve.
