Classic Tomates Farcies Baked Ground Meat Stuffed Tomatoes Food

STUFFED TOMATOES (TOMATES FARCIES)

Steps:

• Soak the salt pork overnight in cold water before cooking.
• To cook, rinse it in cold water, place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour. Drain and leave to cool before using to stuff the tomatoes.
• Wash the tomatoes, then use a small knife to cut off the top third of each one. Reserve the tops. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp from the center of each tomato, being careful not to puncture the skins. Save the scooped-out pulp and seeds for making the sauce. Lightly salt the inside of each tomato and reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place the seeds and pulp in a small saucepan with a little thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the consistency of a thin tomato sauce, stirring frequently. Reserve.
• While the sauce is cooking, place the onion in a saucepan with the milk, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 7-8 minutes. Lift the onions out of the milk with a slotted spoon and chop them coarsely. Save the milk.
• Place the toast in a mixing bowl and add the milk used in cooking the onions. Allow to soak for about 10 minutes, then crush the toast with a fork; pour off any excess milk.
• Chop the salt pork, and add it to the toast along with the onion, garlic, leftover meat and parsley. Mix well, then add the egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and knead with your hands to mix thoroughly.
• Butter a baking dish just large enough to hold all the tomatoes. Fill each tomato with stuffing, then put the top sections back in place and arrange them in the baking dish around the tomatoes, then place in the over and bake for 1 hour. Serve hot from the oven in the baking dish.

TOMATES FARCIES (STUFFED TOMATOES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. With a paring knife, core tomatoes. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the center of each tomato. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish.
• Mix together bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, basil, thyme, cheese and red pepper, if using. Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of bread-crumb mixture in the hollow of each tomato.
• Bake 30 minutes, until bread-crumb mixture is nicely browned and tomatoes are soft. Let cool slightly before serving.

GROUND BEEF-STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven 350°F.
• Cut tops off tomatoes, discard tops. Scoop out pulp from centers of tomatoes, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Reserve 1 cup of the removed pulp.
• Brown meat with onions in medium skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add reserved tomato pulp, Italian seasoning and tomato paste; mix well. Cook 3 min., stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan.
• Place tomato shells on foil-covered baking sheet; fill with meat mixture.
• Combine shredded cheese and bread crumbs; sprinkle over tomatoes. Top with basil.
• Bake 12 to 14 min. or until heated through.

TOMATES FARCIES (STUFFED TOMATOES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut out the core of each tomato. Turn one tomato at a time on its side and cut a thin slice about half an inch thick from the top of each. Use a spoon or, preferably, a melon ball cutter to scrape out the inside of each tomato, leaving a whole shell for stuffing. Chop and set the spooned-out centers aside. There should be about two cups.
• Heat the sausage meat in a skillet, chopping with the side of a heavy metal spoon to break up lumps. Add one cup of the onion and half of the garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is wilted. Add the cubed pork and mushrooms. Add thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the remaining half cup of onion and the remaining garlic. When the onion is wilted, add the scooped-out tomato and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and simmer five minutes.
• When the pork mixture has cooked 10 minutes, spoon and scrape it into the container of a food processor. Blend until it is coarsefine. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Add one-quarter cup of the chopped parsley, the eggs and bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste.
• Select a baking dish large enough to hold the tomatoes when they are arranged on the dish close together in one layer.
• Pour the chopped tomato sauce over the dish and smooth it over to distribute it evenly.
• Stuff the tomatoes with the pork mixture, smoothing it over, and arrange them stuffed side up on the tomato base. Sprinkle the tops with grated Parmesan cheese and the oil.
• Place in the oven and bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.