Tomatoes Provencale and Anchovy Persillade

[Recipes Index] [World of Chefs]

Ingredients:

• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes
• 3 slices of day-old French bread, grated to crumbs in a food processor
• 1/3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Romeu extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut off the tops of each tomato. Remove the excess water and seeds from each tomato by gently squeezing each one, sprinkling the inside lightly with salt and turning it upside down on a wire rack for about 15 minutes to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix the parsley, garlic, chopped anchovies, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes in a shallow baking dish, press the mixture into the tomatoes, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bake for 30 minutes until the tops are browned and the tomatoes are very soft. The tomatoes can be served warm with an evening meal or cold at a picnic with crusty French bread, a complementary cheese and fresh fruit.