Preparation

In medium bowl, pour cream over the bread and allow the bread to absorb the cream. This is a good way to use old French bread and also incorporate fat into the stuffing to keep it moist.

Remove the core from the tomatoes. Slice off top third and set aside. With a small spoon or melon baller, remove the flesh of the tomato and reserve for the sauce.

In a large, bowl combine ground beef, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, basil, Parmesan cheese, cooked rice, eggs, and bread and season with salt and pepper. To taste for seasoning, cook a small patty and adjust remaining stuffing as needed.

Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, stuff them with the ground beef mixture, and sprinkle grated Parmesan on top. Gently place tops back on tomatoes. Arrange tomatoes in oven-proof serving dish. Add remaining tomato pulp and pour tomato juice around them.

Braise tomatoes in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the tomatoes from the dish and pass cooking liquid through a strainer; add water as needed if sauce is over-reduced. Spoon sauce over tomatoes and serve.

Additional Tips

This dish offers the perfect opportunity to use up miscellaneous items in your refrigerator.

recipe tags

• main courses
• side dishes & salads
• french
• passport
• spring
• summer
• a taste of provence