TOMATOES BAKED WITH BREAD CRUMBS AND GARLIC

TOMATOES BAKED WITH BREAD CRUMBS AND GARLIC image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

6 firm ripe tomatoes, 3 to 4 inches in diameter
salt
1 cup dry white homemade bread crumbs, not too fine in texture
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely cut fresh basil, or 2 tsp dried basil
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

Steps:

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Scoop out the seeds, sprinkle the inside of tomatoes with salt, turn them upside down to drain on paper towels. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs, parsley, basil, garlic, and a few grindings of pepper. Add enough olive oil to moisten the stuffing but still leave it crumbly. Fill each tomato half with about 2 tbsp of the crumb mixture, patting it in and letting it mound up a little in the middle. Arrange the tomato halves in one or two lightly oiled shallow baking dishes; do not crowd them. Sprinkle a few drops of oil over each half. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are tender but not limp. Using a spatula, transfer the tomatoes to a platter and serve them hot.