Tomatoes Stuffed with Pine Nuts & Mozzarella
This Vegetarian Stuffed Tomato Recipe Makes a Quick Supper
Aug 28, 2009 Lindsay McSweeney
The temperature at which food is served substantially affects flavor; food served at cold or even room temperature must be more savory than food served warm. To heighten flavor, the cook can add stronger seasoning, ensure that ingredients are at their peak ripeness, or introduce hearty co-ingredients.
For example, when tomatoes are not in season and their taste is pallid or weak, their role in a stuffed dish is primarily as a convenient edible container highlighting a flavorful stuffing like sausage or a mushroom duxelles.
But seasonally perfect ripe tomatoes should be the star of the dish, savored for their unique vibrancy. To highlight their flavor, serve these tomatoes at room temperature, uncooked. And while a cooked stuffing can be used, uncooked stuffing ingredients with relatively mild flavor are preferred as they don't threaten to overwhelm the tomato flavor. This recipe uses fresh mozzarella, roasted pine nuts, red onion, and fresh herbs.
Storing Fresh Tomatoes
When using fresh tomatoes, in this dish or any other, it's essential to keep them out of the refrigerator. Not only is there an unfortunate chemical reaction that dulls the flavor, but the flesh will turn into a powdery, grainy texture. If the tomatoes are store bought, they can likely use a few days to finish ripening on a window counter (stem side down). If they're bought at a farmer's market and are already ripe, they should be used within a day or two.
A Word about Pine Nuts or Pignoli
Pine nuts are not nuts, rather they're the seeds of pine trees. Eaten whole, they give dishes a soft, buttery crunch; however, they are often ground to give sauces texture and flavor as in pesto.
It is almost always advisable to lightly toast pine nuts until golden brown. Putting them in a dry (unoiled) pan over medium heat and shaking continuously will bring out maximum flavor.
Fresh Tomatoes Stuffed with Pine Nuts & Mozzarella
Serves 4 but can easily be halved or doubled.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Tomatoes
- 4 large, ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs (a combination of thyme, basil, and oregano works well)
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette
Directions
- Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients in a large jar, and shake to combine. (This recipe requires 1/4 cup vinaigrette; reserve the rest for other uses).
- Slice off the top portion of each tomato to remove the scar where the stem was attached. Using a spoon or melon baller, hollow out each tomato leaving the outer shell intact. Sprinkle the inside of each tomato with the salt and turn upside down on a cooling rack to drain away any loose liquid. (It's a good idea to put a piece of waxed paper or paper towel underneath to catch the drippings.)
- While the tomatoes are draining, toast the pine nuts in a dry (unoiled) frying pan until golden brown and set aside to cool.
- Dice the mozzarella into 1/2 inch cubes and put into a medium bowl.
- Chop the herbs, and add to the bowl with the mozzarella along with the onion and the cooled pine nuts.
- Toss with the 1/4 cup vinaigrette, check for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper as desired.
- Invert the tomatoes back upright and divide the stuffing among the tomatoes.
Tomatoes Stuffed with Pine Nuts & Mozzarella
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