Traditional Stuffed Tomatoes

Wrinkled tomato skin holding a juicy, seasoned meat filling. The cooking juices reduce at the bottom of the dish into a concentrated vegetable syrup that coats the spoon.

• Prep time: 25 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 412
• Protein: 14 g
• Carbs: 21 g
• Fat: 29 g

Ingredients

• 4 piece Round tomato ( hollowed out )
• 300 g Pork and beef stuffing ( plain )
• 1 piece Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 1 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 10 g Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped )
• 50 g Traditional French bread ( crumb only )
• 50 ml Whole milk
• 1 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 piece Thyme ( whole sprig )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Preparing the tomatoes

   Cut the tops off the round tomatoes. Scoop out the inside with a spoon without piercing the skin. Salt the inside and turn the tomatoes upside down on a rack to let the excess water drain.

2. Preparing the stuffing

   Soak the bread in whole milk. Mince the yellow onion, garlic, and flat-leaf parsley. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork and beef stuffing with the egg, squeezed bread, and aromatics. The texture should be soft and consistent.

3. Stuffing and baking

   Generously fill each tomato with the stuffing. Replace the tops. Arrange the tomatoes in a baking dish, add a sprig of thyme, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 180°C until the meat is cooked through and the skin is lightly browned.

Chef's tips

• Don't throw away the tomato pulp: blend it to create a sauce base or a broth.
• If your tomatoes are very juicy, place a teaspoon of raw rice at the bottom of each tomato before stuffing to absorb excess juice.

Storage

Keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in the oven at 150°C to avoid drying out the stuffing.