Stuffed Tomatoes Redux – Pomodori Ripieni
More with Fonte di Foiano Pendolino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Stuffed tomatoes are the quintessential summer dish, and they are easy to put together. They are perfect for any meal, casual or elegant, and are incredibly versatile, moving easily from day into night. Serve them with a crisp green salad and white wine for an elegant lunch or as a starter for a more elaborate dinner. You can use large, medium or small tomatoes, what ever suits your fancy.
I used ingredients from all over Italy for these tomatoes, including Fonte di Foiano Pendolino Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany. This oil was among a set I received for review from Olio2go, an online and brick and mortar retailer of Italian extra virgin olive oils. (Click here to read more on these oils.) This oil is a monocultivar or monovarietal (made from one type of olive only) in this case, the Pendolino. It has a wonderful fruity taste with a hint of tomatoes, a bit of basil and parsley too, and a spicy finish that reminded me of red radishes. With all its fresh flavor notes it is well suited for uses in salads or as a finishing oil. I decided to use it in all stages of the cooking, to saute the onion and garlic, in the filling and to finish the tomatoes, and it was a perfect choice, adding flavor every step of the way.
I used green Bella di Cerignola olives in the filling. Big and fleshy, these olives from Puglia added a depth of flavor and a counterpoint to the sweet pine nuts, spicy oil and herbs. With a topping of Gorgonzola dolce from the north of Italy, the tomatoes became a glorious vehicle for a cook’s tour of Italy.
Stuffed Tomatoes
serves 4 as a starter
4 medium tomatoes
Fonte di Foiano Pendolino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup minced onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
¼ cup reserved tomato
8 green Bella di Cerignola olives, cut in 1/4inch dice
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil, plus more for garnish (either whole or torn leaves)
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon pine nuts, divided
about 3 oz. Gorgonzola dolce
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil for the baking dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a baking dish. Line a sheet pan with paper towels.
Using a sharp knife, slice tops off of the tomatoes. Chop the tops into ¼ inch dice, reserving ¼ cup. Scoop out the inside of the tomatoes using a melon baller, being careful not to pierce the sides of the tomatoes. Discard interior flesh. Place hollowed out tomatoes on the prepared sheet pan, and lightly sprinkle the interior with kosher salt. Turn the tomatoes upside down on the paper towels to drain. Set aside as you prepare the filling.
Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a small saute pan, and heat over a medium-low flame. Add minced onion and garlic and saute until translucent but not brown, about 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Add oregano, thyme, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and saute 1 minute longer.
Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons Fonte di Foiano Pendolino olive oil, Panko bread crumbs, reserved tomato, olives, chopped parsley and basil, ¼ cup pine nuts, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Combine well. Check seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if desired.
Spoon the filling into the tomatoes, mounding slightly. Transfer the tomatoes to the prepared baking dish, and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Roast, uncovered about 35 minutes until softened. Just before the tomatoes are done, remove the baking dish from the oven and top each tomato with a few pieces of Gorgonzola. Return them to the oven and continue roasting until the Gorgonzola has just begun to melt, but still retains its chunky shape, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and place them on their serving plates. The cheese will continue to melt as you prepare the tomatoes for service. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of Pendolino oil over the tomatoes and on each plate to decorate. Scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons of pine nuts over the tomatoes, add a bit of basil, and serve immediately.
Food Nerd Notes: Gorgonzola dolce, a creamy, slightly sweet pasteurized cow’s milk cheese is made in the Lombardy and Piedmont regions of northern Italy. Be sure to purchase Gorgonzola dolce, not the sharper Mountain Gorgonzola. Ask for a taste of Gorgonzola dolce before you purchase it, always a good idea no matter what cheese you are buying. Remember that a cheese purchased on Monday may have a good deal more flavor heft by Friday, so make a habit of tasting cheese as you use it. If you are not fond of Gorgonzola, try Fontina, a raw cow’s milk cheese from Val d’Osta in northern Italy. It melts beautifully, and its nutty, fruity taste marries well with the sweet roasted tomatoes and oil. If you can not find either cheese or just want something very mild, select a nice Mozzarella, another cow’s milk cheese.
Panko bread crumbs are a Japanese product with a flaky, even crumb akin to finely shredded dried coconut. They are very light and virtually flavorless. You can find them in many supermarkets. If you can not find Panko, use plain (unseasoned) dry bread crumbs. I suggest you make your own. To do so, preheat an oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim the crusts from a rustic white or egg bread. Do not use sourdough. Cut the bread into ½ inch chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal knife, and process until finely ground. Transfer the crumbs to a sheet pan and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven to dry. Bake for about 20 minutes, until well dried, but not brown, tossing or 3 times with a fork. The crumbs at the outside edges will dry more quickly, so be sure to move them toward the center while tossing. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and place on a rack to cool, tossing occasionally. Transfer the cooled crumbs to an airtight glass container for storage.
Fonte di Foiano Pendolino Extra Virgin Olive oil is available from Olio2go or at their brick and mortar store at 8400 Hilltop Road, Suite H, Fairfax, VA 22031; phone 703-876-4666.
Bella di Cerignola olives are available from Gustiamo.com.
Click here for another recipe for Stuffed Tomatoes.
Note: You can click on any picture for a slide show!
Disclosure: I received the Pendolino Olive Oil mentioned above for free. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I otherwise have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 9:39 pm |
Una splendida versione che non conoscevo e che adesso vorrei fare al più presto, grazie per aver condiviso con noi questa prelibatezza cara Adri !
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 9:55 pm |
Grazie, Chiara!
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 9:48 pm |
Oh… I have an abundance of tomatoes this year. I will try both of these tomato stuffing recipes.
thanks!
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 9:56 pm |
Ciao Foodie!
Enjoy!
Thursday, July 18th 2013 at 11:23 pm |
Speriamo che questa volta mi prenda il commento, stella! 😀 Dicevo, hai creato dei pomodori raffinatissimi e deliziosi, i miei complimenti! Sei una cuoca eccezionale, amica!! 😀
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 6:53 am |
Ciao Ely,
E grazie per le tue gentilissime parole! Adoro questi pomodori, pieni di pignoli, con l’olio eccezonale, questa e mia ricetta favorita. Spero che provarli!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 4:38 am |
otimi, molto sfiziosi!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 6:54 am |
Ciao e grazie Simona!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 6:00 am |
You have used all the good things that are produced in Italy to stuff these tomatoes…I’m sure that they are delicious!! It’s a very warm and sunny summer here in the UK (I’m smiling…because I feel very happy!!) and these stuffed tomatoes are the perfect light lunch!!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 6:54 am |
Ciao Rita,
Yes, these would be like being back home for you! I hope you try them!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 7:42 am |
I absolutely love fresh tomatoes + we grow a whole bunch of varieties in our garden. This would be an awesome way to showcase them. YUM!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 8:00 am |
Hi Amy,
It would be a great way, and this dish looks beautiful if you use different a few different tomatoes. Enjoy!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 7:55 am |
Adri these sound delicious
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 8:01 am |
Hi Anthony,
They are great. They are something I only make in summer, and we always enjoy them. With this oil, they really are fab.
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 9:43 am |
What a great recipe for all these fabulous tomatoes we’re finally getting! And so many other favorite ingredients – thanks for all the extra info and detail, too…
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 9:59 am |
Hi Laney!,
Oh, the tomatoes are just glorious. You are right. I hope you try this.
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 12:36 pm |
The tomatoes look delicious. This recipe is on my list to try very soon.
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 1:47 pm |
Ciao Jovina,
I hope you enjoy them. The recipe is so versatile. You can add just about anything you want. Black olives are also wonderful here. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 3:38 pm |
happy to know you! you recipe’s very good, olive cerignola…so good!
Friday, July 19th 2013 at 5:19 pm |
It’s wonderful to meet you!
I am glad you like this. Those Cerignola olives are a delicacy. So plump and rich. I love them. Alla prossima!
Saturday, July 20th 2013 at 5:41 am |
Adri, now you made me a happy person (again) – my kids keep asking me for stuffed mushrooms and tomatoes all the time but I had never really found a recipe that I truly and honestly like – so I will most certainly be giving your wonderful recipe a try and let you know how it will all turn out!
Have a wonderful weekend filled with great food and lote of wonderful weather and fun!
Saturday, July 20th 2013 at 7:17 am |
Hi Andrea,
I’m glad you are smiling. I love stuffed tomatoes. The variations are positively endless. Ditto for mushrooms – and speaking of ‘shrooms, I’ve got a stuffed mushroom recipe coming up! Have a great weekend.
Saturday, July 20th 2013 at 9:12 am |
You can stamp my passport with stuffed tomatoes anytime! GREG
Saturday, July 20th 2013 at 10:07 am |
Benvenuto Greg,
I hear you. There is no end to the combinations for fillings. I think it is time to see a version from you!
Saturday, July 20th 2013 at 2:25 pm |
Adri – It’s so nice to meet you! Thank you for introducing yourself to me on my blog. I love fresh tomatoes and am looking at a bowl full of colorful orbs that are going to waste. I’d love to give your recipe a try. Sounds so savory and good.
Saturday, July 20th 2013 at 6:26 pm |
Benvenuta Marilyn,
I am so pleased that you have stopped by, and I hope you enjoy the tomatoes. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and it is all thanks to Trevor!
Sunday, July 21st 2013 at 6:29 am |
Hi Adri – this sounds like my perfect lunch.
Love how you describe the flavors of the olive oil.
LL
Sunday, July 21st 2013 at 7:29 am |
Hi Lori,
Oh, I just love olive oil. There are so many vairieties. I say it is the new wine. I am glad you enjoyed this one. Alla prossima!
Monday, July 22nd 2013 at 9:55 am |
I really like how you’ve introduced the assertive flavors of green olive and gorgonzola dolce (love its dulcet creaminess!) into the tomato–we can never have too many recipes for these summer beauties.
Monday, July 22nd 2013 at 10:14 am |
Benvenuta Nancy,
It’s tomato time, and the bounty is tremendous. I’m glad this one caught your eye!
Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 at 6:15 am |
This looks real yummy! I usually stuff mine with rice (cooked) or tuna (raw) but I do need to get out of my rut.
Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 at 6:59 am |
Ciao Frank,
There is just no end to the variations with this one. Your tomatoes stuffed with tuna sound like a wonderful idea, a complete meal and perfect for summer. Thanks for stopping by! Alla prossima!
Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 at 9:00 am |
Adri — those tomatoes look really yummy– I am reading this post at the local library in Bridgton, Maine where there is a great internet connection and I am embarrassed because my stomach keeps on growling loudly in this quiet room as I read about all this fabulous food you prepare!! Wish I could just zip out and get one of those somewhere around here. (I guess I will have to content myself with a lobster roll- could be worse). Thanks for another great post!!
Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 at 11:40 am |
Hi Trisha,
Mozzarella Mamma coming to me from America! I love it. I am so pleased that you are on vacation. I hope you are having a wonderful time. I’m glad these look good to you!
Wednesday, July 24th 2013 at 5:27 am |
Wow wow che ricettina davvero gustosa 🙂 E che prodotti!!! Un abbraccio
Wednesday, July 24th 2013 at 6:28 am |
Benvenuto!
Adoro i pomodori preparato in questo modo. Grazie per aver visitato. Un bacione!
Friday, July 26th 2013 at 12:57 pm |
Your stuffed tomatoes look fabulous, Adri! The top quality ingredients must ass so much flavor to the stuffing. I am wondering where you buy your pignoli nuts? It seems so many sources get them from China or some nearby Asian country, and I don’t trust that source.
Friday, July 26th 2013 at 4:30 pm |
Hi Pat,
Thank you! I love Stuffed Tomatoes – they are so versatile! I am with you about Pignoli nuts from China. I have heard many dreadful stories about them. I purchased mine at Bay Cities Italian Market in Santa Monica. They are also available at Gustiano.com.