French-Style Stuffed Tomatoes (Tomates Farcies)
Known as “Tomates Farcies”, these French-style Stuffed Tomatoes are the perfect addition to any Summer table – and a personal childhood favorite of mine. This typical Provençal recipe calls for stuffing tomatoes with beef, bread, cheese and Herbs de Provence, and roasting them on a bed of rice until tender and slightly charred on top. Naturally, this dish is best made at the peak of tomato season, when they are juicy, sweet and full of flavor. An old timey dish originating from Provence, “Tomates Farçies” were born as a way…
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 45 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 6 medium, round tomatoessalt, to taste
- 2-3 slices stale bread, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup milk (2% m.f. or whole)
- 1 tbsp (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2-3 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of Herbs de Provence
- 2 tbsp (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp (30ml) extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 300 to 500g cooked rice (2 to 3 cups)
Instructions
- 1
Step 1: Prepare the tomatoes. Cut the hats (tops) from the tomatoes and carve the insides (flesh) out with a spoon. Keep the flesh with the juice in a separate bowl, and keep the hats too. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a pinch of salt, and place the tomatoes upside down on a linen or paper towel to absorb the excess juice. Set aside for at least one hour.
- 2
In a bowl, pour the milk over the bread cubes and set aside to soak for about 20 minutes.
- 3
Step 2: Chop up the removed tomato flesh coarsely. Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion, and then add the tomato flesh. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is moisture-free and reduced to a paste-like consistency.
- 4
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.
- 5
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, egg, basil, Herbs de Provence, parmesan, and milk-soaked bread. Add the tomato flesh mixture and mix until just combined.
- 6
Grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil. Spread the rice over the bottom - it should cover the bottom of the dish by about 2 inches.
- 7
Step 4: Spoon the stuffing into the hollowed tomatoes, making sure they are well packed. Place the hats back on top and place the tomatoes standing upright into the baking dish, over the rice. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and herbs de Provence to taste.
- 8
Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes - depending on your oven, this can be slightly shorter or longer. The tomatoes are done when the rice looks golden and crispy on top, the meat stuffing is browned and cooked, and the tops of the tomatoes are wrinkled with charred edges.
- 9
Allow the dish to rest 30 extra minutes in the oven, with the oven turned off, before serving.