Sicilian Stuffed Tomatoes Food

SICILIAN STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a baking dish large enough to accommodate all of the tomatoes. Cut off the top fourth of the tomatoes, and reserve the tops. Place a strainer over a bowl, and gently scoop or squeeze out the seeds without breaking the tomatoes. Rub the seed pockets against the strainer to extract juice. Discard the seeds. Using a grapefruit spoon, scoop out as much of the tomato pulp from inside the skins as you can, but don't break the skins. Chop the pulp, and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until tender and beginning to color. Add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the anchovies, parsley, capers, olives, bread crumbs and tomato pulp. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir for about two minutes until fragrant and well amalgamated. Moisten as desired with the strained juice. Fill the tomatoes with this mixture and place them in the baking dish. Return the tops. Brush with the remaining olive oil.
• Place in the oven, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the skins begin to wrinkle. The tomatoes should be soft but not mushy. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato. Leaving a 1/2-in. thick shell, scoop out the pulp; chop pulp and set aside. Invert the tomatoes onto paper towels to drain. , Meanwhile, cook sausage, onion and garlic in a skillet until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato pulp, zucchini, basil, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in rice, provolone, 3 tablespoons Parmesan and parsley; spoon about 2/3 cup into each tomato. , Place in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until the tomatoes are heated through.

STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Cut the tops off of each tomato and scoop out the inside flesh into a bowl. Set aside the tomato shells. Roughly chop the inside tomato flesh or break it up with your hands, yielding 1 cup. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Place a large saute pan over the direct heat side of the grill and add a drizzle of olive oil. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef and cook until it begins to brown, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, onions, lemon zest, another drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Give it a stir and cook until fragrant and the onions are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir in the reserved tomato insides. Cook for about 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan for any brown bits. Add the mint and parsley. Give it one more stir and remove from the heat. Add the rice, pine nuts and goat cheese.
• Fill each reserved tomato shell to the top with the beef mixture and place into a cast-iron skillet. Sprinkle with the panko and drizzle with olive oil. Place on the indirect heat side of the grill and close the lid. Bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with olive oil drizzled over the top.

BRENDA'S REAL SICILIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Wash and slice off the top of the peppers, making a cap. Reserve tops. Remove internal membranes and seeds.
• Place peppers, open side up in medium roaster or deep baking dish. There must be room for the rest of the ingredients.
• Blend gently with a fork, meat, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, green onions, 1/2 of the salt and 1/2 of the pepper or to taste.
• In bottom of pepper, place a piece of mozzarella and a few pieces of onion.
• Stuff the peppers with meat mixture and replace cap on each.
• Note: if you have extra meat you can roll them into little meat balls to place on top of peppers.
• Sprinkle the rest of the onion, potatoes, garlic, olives, mushrooms, on top of peppers. (also extra meatballs if you have any.).
• Spoon tomatoes, with thier juice, over it all.
• Season top with basil and remaining salt and pepper or to taste.
• Cover and place in 350 F oven for 45 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for another 45 minutes, keeping an eye on the liquid. You may have to add a little water if it appears to be too dry.
• Try to move the veggies away from the edges once in a while so that they don't stick to the sides.
• Plate and serve with a crusty bread.

HERB STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the tomatoes in half, horizontally. Seed by gently squeezing the tomato halves. Use a small spoon to gently hollow out the inside of the tomatoes, being careful not to puncture the outer shell. Reserve the pulp.
• Chop the reserved pulp and put in a medium bowl. Add the parsley, bread crumbs, cheese, optional garlic, and pepper and mix gently to combine.
• Place the tomato halves in a buttered casserole dish, and fill with the bread crumb mixture.
• Drizzle the top of the tomatoes with olive oil. Bake until the tops are browned, about 20 minutes.