Recipe: Tomato Provencal
By David Harbilas
Stuffing tomatoes seems such a thing of the past that it would seem impossible to recommend it, yet this technique, not strictly a “stuffed” tomato, combines roasting and breading to yield a sweet and savory dish that pairs well with nearly any meat, chicken, or fish entrée.
To be sure, this is 1970’s cooking nearly at its worst when handled poorly.
The key to making it work is in pounding the fresh herb flavor into the bread crumb topping and seasoning with a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Using the freshest, juiciest tomatoes you can find doesn’t hurt either.
Yields 4 servings
- 2 large vine ripe tomatoes
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut the stem end of each tomato out. Cut each tomato in half, cross-wise, so that the “chambers” are exposed. Lay each half on a sheet pan, cut side up. Drizzle each half with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a food processor combine the bread crumbs, herbs, garlic, and parmesan cheese.
Add about 1 tablespoon of salt and ¼ tablespoon of black pepper. Turn the motor on and allow the crumbs to be thoroughly blended with the herbs, making a green mixture. With the motor running, drizzle in a little olive oil, just enough to make the mixture come together as a paste. Top each tomato half with about 2 tablespoons of the mixture, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and roast for about 20-30 minutes, or until the top is browned and the tomatoes have softened a bit. Serve hot.
