Recipe - Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

This is a great summer stuffed tomato recipe that is also popular with the low-carb crowd due to the lack of added bread crumbs, rice, or packaged stuffing mix. 

Tomatoes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plum tomatoes are the ideal choice for this recipe due to the fact they are less watery than other tomatoes which makes the pulp you scoop out firmer. The tomato itself has a more concentrated flavor than many varieties.  That's why sauces are often made from plum tomatoes. You can, if you choose however, make this recipe with regular slicing tomatoes as well.

In some areas tomatoes might not be ready yet, but I couldn't wait to share this one, after the homemade mozzarella recipe from Monday - it's just too tasty!  So if you don't have ripe tomatoes yet, you may want to bookmark this one for later....

Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes
(Makes 4 servings.)

Ingredients:

4 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn small
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the insides out onto a work surface, setting the tomato shells on a baking sheet, cut side up.
3. Chop up the insides that you scooped out and put in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together until well blended.
5. Spoon this mixture into the tomato shells on the baking sheet.  Top with more Parmesan cheese if desired.
6. Put in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
7. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm.