Stuffed Tomatoes

This recipe is based on one that I got from my French instructor when we first moved to Belgium.  She told me it is something that Belgians eat quite often.  You won’t find it in a restaurant, but basically every home will make some variation on it for dinner at least once a month.  I have to admit, we haven’t eaten it as often, but we have adapted it to our own recipe.  Now I’d like to share a little taste of Belgium with you!

Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. olive oil
8 round medium tomatoes
1 Tbs. butter
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 lb. pork
1/4 lb. veal
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup coarse breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. parmesan cheese, freshly grated

To Make:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a rimmed baking dish with 1 Tbs. of oil.  Hollow out the tomatoes using a paring knife or spoon, leaving enough of the flesh on the sides to form a sturdy “cup”.  Reserve scooped out flesh and set aside.  Set tomatoes upside-down on paper towels to drain.
In a large skillet, melt the butter in 1 Tbs. of oil.  Add onion and garlic and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).  Add the meat and cook over moderately high heat until no longer pink, breaking up the pieces as it cooks.  Add reserved tomatoes and cook until juices evaporate (about 5 minutes longer).  Transfer meat mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly.  Mix in parsley, eggs, 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs and the cheese.  Spoon into tomato cups and place in baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs and drizzle remaining olive oil on top.  Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Yield:
4 servings