Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes with Fontina and Spinach

I am aware that this is the SECOND stuffed tomato recipe, but D likes them and they are so fun to play with. This is how this one came about:

Me: What do you want to do for dinner?
D: Up for anything, anything you have in mind?
Me: Well, I have fish, sausage, and veggies I need to use up - how are you doing on your leftovers?
D: I'm ready for new food!.....(me thinking wait for it)...Can we do baked tomatoes of some sort? Please. Pretty please?
Me: If you feel like going to get the tomatoes. What do you want me to put inside - sausage, garlic, shallots, cheese, and...?
D: So far so good.....and something crunchy for texture (me thinking man my love is getting to be more of a demanding foodie - has he been hanging out with me too long?)
Me: I can throw in some pork rinds ;)
D: No thank you, maybe just some bread crumbs on top.
Me: hmmmm....
Me (30 minutes later after thinking about it and not wanting to do bread crumbs because I have done it before) I could put a piece of toasted garlic bread over the top and it will be all crunchy-like and delicious.
D: Sounds amazing! Let's do it. 

This conversation leaves me thinking a) man this boy likes tomatoes and b) this will be a super easy dinner to prepare and I can make my nairagi tartar to avoid having to put the leftover fish in the freezer. Yay everyone will be happy! This was all before Senate Finance threw a giant wrench in my plans. It was 9:50 before I was finished working an could start cooking. On the bright side - the tomatoes came out amazing! I do not think that I will ever use bread crumbs again - the toasted garlic bread was so flavorful and so perfectly crunchy in a way that breadcrumbs just are not. I came up with the Spinach and cheese topping somewhere near the end of sauteing the sausage - highly recommended. Even though I did not get my fish, I was extremely satisfied for all of five minutes before I passed out after my 14 hour workday (not sure how but I managed to work out for almost two hours, work for 14 hours, clean the floors and pick up clothes, make dinner, and shower before I passed out but that is another story).

Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes

• 2 large cluster tomatoes, halved and seeded
• One shallot, minced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced (with about half reserved to make garlic bread)
• 1 -2 tablespoons basil pesto
• One Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage (or other sausage of choosing)
• 1/3 cup of shredded Mozzarella 
• 1/2 cup shredded Fontina 
• Dash of White Wine
• A couple good hanfduls of baby spinach
• Crushed red pepper (optional)
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive Oil

Garlic Bread

• One load of good quality Cibbatta or French Country Bread, sliced into half-inch thick slices (4-6)
• 1-2 tbsp butter (melted) or 2 tbsp oil (I used basil oil, you can use truffle, garlic, or olive) 
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tbsp dried parsley
• sprinkle of paprika 

Special Equipment 

• Small, individual ramekins for baking the tomatoes in
• Brush (to brush the oil or butter on the bread)

Preheat oven to 375 and use oil to grease four small Ramekins.  In a pan, heat oil and add shallots and garlic (seasoned properly - add crushed red pepper if using). Hit with a bit of white wine and let the alcohol just cook off. Cut the sausage casing and empty the filling into the pan and saute with the garlic and shallots. Once mostly cooked, stir in pesto and some pepper (salt if necessary) remove to a bowl and allow to cool for a minute or two before combining with Mozzarella. Throw the spinach with some salt and pepper into the pan and scrape the bottom to pick up sausage drippings. Whilst spinach is cooking, stuff the sausage mixture into the tomatoes (making sure to get the yumminess all the way down in the bottom cavity of the tomato) then sprinkle top with salt and pepper as desired and place each into a Ramekin (for easy removal place all Ramekins on a baking sheet). Ensure that the tomatoe is upright and stable in the ramekin, then top each with a handful of spinach and a handful of Fontina.  Bake for fifteen - twenty minutes on 375.

While tomatoes are initially baking, oil BOTH sides of the bread slices. Rub each side with a whole, raw garlic clove (skin removed), then top one side with minced garlic, parsley, and paprika. Place directly on the oven racks for about five minutes. Remove and place on top of the tomato. Enjoy!