Herb stuffed beef steak tomatoes
This easy Provencal-style dish, is incredibly light and stuffed to the brim with lots of tasty ingredients. It’s great as a simple starter or combined with a fresh salad for a light lunch.
Substitute the parmesan and try it with an alternative cheese such as torn mozzarella or feta.
Serves: 4 as a starter
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Ingredients
4 large beef tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
12 black pitted olives, roughly chopped
½ cup Italian ciabatta bread crumbs
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp basil leaves, chopped
1 tbsp capers, chopped
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven 170 C (fan oven). Trim 1cm off the top of each tomato and discard. Use a teaspoon or melon baller to gently hollow out the inside of the tomatoes, being careful not to puncture the shell. Remove the as many pips as you can and reserve about ½ cup of chopped pulp. Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes and place upside down in a colander, to drain off some moisture.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan and gently fry the onions and garlic on a low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is completely soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, herbs, olives, capers, cheese and tomato pulp. Season with a good grind of black pepper.
Wipe the inside of the tomatoes with a paper towel, then fill them up with the herb stuffing, pressing down gently as you go, until you have a nice dome of stuffing on the top.
Place the tomatoes in a greased ovenproof dish and drizzle lightly with the remaining olive oil. Scatter extra grated parmesan on top. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften. Serve hot or warm.