Baked Tomatoes, Italian Grandmother Style (Almost)

Awesomeness

Let's just clear the hurdle and accept the fact that you will see an abnormal (by abnormal I mean INSANE) amount of baked tomatoes. And some will be different and some will not be different. When you have a man-friend who would literally eat baked tomatoes at every meal it is bound to happen. Additionally, I almost always have everything i need to throw them together and since they are healthy and extremely satisfying , cheap, and easy - trust me when I say I am not complaining at all. So, Saturday we were in Katy (yes - this girl just said that) for D's best friend from - well diapers I think - wedding shower. I have been hearing, pretty much since the day we started dating, the amazing food that he would eat at this Italian/Texan via Mexico household growing up. Side-bar: Gooey Butter Cake was mentioned frequently. Naturally, I was thrilled to get to experience this food and talk food with foodies (they own restaurants in the Houston Metroplex). The day was wonderful, the people were absolutely incredible and the food was - celestial (I really wanted to use another word, but propriety stopped me - first and last time for that to occur I can promise you). It was kind of like one of those get-togethers you read about in a Bon Appetit magazine - you know when food really brings you together (okay really it was the engagement of a fantastic couple - but food brought me closer to a dream I have had since I started cooking. This dream, ladies and gentlemen, is to cook with an Italian grandmother. Recall I mentioned that the family was half Italian. By this I mean Nina came off the boat from Sicily. HEAVEN. So whilst I was gorging on amazing pulled pork and cabbage slaw with sweet buns, I had a long conversation with an Italian grandmother. She suggested how I should make baked tomatoes. Spicy Provelone is the secret. I also got an invite to her home, which incidentally has a basement that has been converted into a second kitchen. So last night I made baked tomatoes (thought not exactly following her instructions but that will come later) and today I am happy that I am one step closer to my dream.

These tomatoes were so good. They were large tomatoes and I left a good amount of juice in them before baking, something I normally do not do. The result was almost like a brothy soup with yummy stuff in it. I made four thinking we would eat two and save two for lunch today - that did not work out - we ate them all. =) If you are looking for a budget and belly friendly meal that is tasty and satisfying this is it. You can feed a family of four with this meal for about ten dollars (probably less - I can cook, but my math skills are not anything to brag about).

• Two large heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, halved
• 1 Large shallot, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• handful of torn arugula, roughly chopped
• 6 large basil leaves,roughly chopped
• Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Red Pepper Flakes
• 4 slices of smoked Provelone
• One link of Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage
• One tablespoon pesto

Topping

• 2 cups baby Spinach
• 3 tbs white wine
• 1 shallot sliced

Stuff me please!

Cut tomatoes in half and scrape out about half of the juice (trying to get as many seeds out as possible - the seeds can give you heartburn, make the tomato acidic or be bad for people with certain health conditions). Place each half into a small ramekin and let them hang out for a little bit.

Heat oil of choice in a skillet. Add shallots and garlic and a pinch of salt, cook for about five minutes and add the sausage, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Cook for about five minutes and remove from heat. Add to basil, arugula, pesto, pepper and mix well. Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes. Bake on 375 for about 20 minutes, remove, then add the cheese slices over the top and return to the oven for about five minutes.

Sausage, Garlic, Shallots: They Love Each Other

Whilst the tomatoes are baking prepare the spinach by heating a small bit of oil in the same pan the sausage was in. Add shallots, cook until glassy and add the wine. Allow the wine to cook until the alcohol is just cooked off, add spinach to the pan, crack fresh pepper over it and allow to wilt. If making garlic bread (which is HIGHLY recommended) begin preparation now and add to the oven in the last 7 minutes. 

Remove tomatoes and top with Sauteed Spinach and serve with garlic bread that is very toasted.

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!

 

Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes

I am on a pseudo-diet. I thought hey let's have some chicken with a reasonable amount of goat cheese and baked tomatoes. Low enough in calories right? Well yes in theory....then the dilemma of what to stuff the tomatoes with arose. Usually I stuff them with leftover chicken, but....we were having chicken as the main. In the spirit of dieting, I suggested to D that I just stuff them with garlic, spinach, shallots and arugula pesto. Somehow this turned into sausage or prosciutto or some other man food being included. Final result: baked tomatoes stuffed with Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage, Monterrey Jack, Pesto, Garlic and Shallots. Topped off with fresh torn basil. D was happy and, I have to admit, the man food tasted good! In the spirit of dieting I used chicken sausage so we were all happy. Hey, chicken sausage counts as diet food right?

Serves 4 (at half a tomato each)

• 2 large cluster tomatoes, halved and seeded
• One shallot, minced
• One clove garlic, minced
• 1.5 tablespoons pesto (arugula or basil)
• One half of a Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage (or other sausage of choosing)
• 1/3 cup of shredded Monterrey Jack (I used MJ because I had it, Fontina or Mozzarella can also be used)
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive Oil

Use oil to grease a baking dish or sheet.  In a pan, heat oil and add shallots and garlic. Cut the sausage casing and empty half of the filling into the pan and saute with the garlic and shallots. Once mostly cooked remove to a bowl and allow to cool for a minute or two. Combine salt, pepper, cheese and pesto with the sausage mixture - mix well. Stuff the 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 on the baking sheet.

Bake for fifteen - twenty minutes on 375, remove, top with basil and serve.

*Feel free to coat the top with bread crumbs if you like.