Get the Recipe:Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Delicious baked tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese and topped with a homemade, buttery, garlic and herb bread crumb mixture. A great side dish or meatless main.
Homemade Seasoned Bread Crumbs (can be made ahead): Preheat oven to 350F.
Add 4 cups cubed Italian bread to a food processor. Add garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano and dried thyme. Process mixture until you have a crumbly mixture, with some fine pieces but a few larger, pea-sized pieces. Scatter crumbs evenly onto a baking sheet.
Bake crumbs in a 350F oven for 8-9 minutes, stirring several times while baking. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground peppers. Stir seasoning in, then allow to cool completely on baking sheet. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.
For the Baked Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half just above the equator (cutting about the top 1/3 off). Discard top or trim and use for a salad. With the bottoms, cut through the spine and dig out the seeds and membrane with a spoon or your hands. Discard seedy bits. Sprinkle the insides of the tomato shells with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place upside down on a doubled-up piece of paper towel and let stand 5-10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare the crumb topping by combining the bread crumbs, garlic cloves, chopped parsley and chopped basil. Pour the melted butter overtop and mix until the crumbs are moistened. Set aside.
Place drained tomatoes right-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon one heaping tablespoon of goat cheese into the centre of each tomato. Grind a bit of pepper on top of the goat cheese. Divide the bread crumb mixture evenly on top of the 4 tomatoes.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden. Allow to stand a few minutes, before eating warm.