Plum tomatoes, perine, are also known as pomodori San Marzano in Italy, because the variety originally came from San Marzano, on the flanks of Mount Vesuvius, and for the most part they become tomato sauce -- they're perfect for it, and a good marinara made with them is like nothing else. One of the finest alternatives to sauce, however, is stuffed tomatoes, and these are very nice. To serve 7:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 14 sun-ripened plum tomatoes
- 3 slices of toast (whatever bread you like)
- 2 slices of cheese (the variety you prefer; they're to be cut into 14 strips)
- A large bunch of fresh parsley
- A lettuce heart
- Olive oil
- White vinegar
- Salt
Preparation:
Wash the tomatoes, then take the first and, slicing horizontally, remove the upper eighth or so; the lower half of the tomato will look vaguely like a canoe, and you'll want to hollow it out, discarding the seeds and juices. Continue with the next and set the hollowed tomatoes upside down to drain.
Remove the crust from the slices of toast and sprinkle the slices with 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Finely mince the parsley and put it in a bowl; crumble the vinegary bread into it, season the mixture with salt and pepper, and add just enough olive oil to obtain a thick sauce. Arrange the tomato boats on a serving dish, leaving an empty space in the middle of the dish, put a strip of cheese in the bottom of each boat, and spoon the green sauce over the cheese. Separate the leaves of the lettuce heart, arrange them in the empty space in the middle of the dish, and serve.
Yield: 7 servings stuffed tomatoes.
Remove the crust from the slices of toast and sprinkle the slices with 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Finely mince the parsley and put it in a bowl; crumble the vinegary bread into it, season the mixture with salt and pepper, and add just enough olive oil to obtain a thick sauce. Arrange the tomato boats on a serving dish, leaving an empty space in the middle of the dish, put a strip of cheese in the bottom of each boat, and spoon the green sauce over the cheese. Separate the leaves of the lettuce heart, arrange them in the empty space in the middle of the dish, and serve.
Yield: 7 servings stuffed tomatoes.
