This recipe takes about 20 minutes and serves 2-3.
Ingredients
2 to 3 large firm tomatoes, or 4 to 6 small firm ones
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons mascarpone
3 tablespoons goat cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 anchovies, finely chopped
1/4 cup panko or other coarse bread crumbs
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. If necessary, slice a very thin layer off bottoms of tomatoes so they will stand upright. Core tomatoes, and carve them out, stopping about 3/4 inch from bottom and sides. (Do not remove too much, or tomato will collapse when baked.) Season inside of each tomato with salt. In a small bowl, stir together mascarpone and goat cheese.
To prepare topping, melt butter with oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and anchovies, and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in bread crumbs, and saute 2 minutes more. Season with pepper.
Fill each hollow with mascarpone mixture. Top generously with bread crumbs. Transfer tomatoes to a baking sheet, and bake until they are slightly blistered and the tops are golden, about 10 minutes.
Wine ideas: The herbal edge of sauvignon blanc complements the goat cheese tang of these rich stuffed tomatoes. Australia makes some good examples, with lemony fruit to balance the grape’s sharp grassiness. Try Taltarni or Shaw & Smith, both of which run less than $20.-Tara Q. Thomas
