When my best friend Giulia shares with me a recipe, I am 100% sure I am going to love it, even if I haven't tried it yet. She knows me so well!
These panzanella stuffed tomatoes have, indeed, been a real success and they are one of my favourite recipes to make in summer with fresh and juicy tomatoes.
INGREDIENTS:
6 big vine tomatoes
80g courgettes
1 celery stalk
Fresh basil leaves
80g fresh or stale bread
1 onion
1 carrot
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut the upper part of the tomatoes and with a teaspoon gently carve the flesh out, making sure you do not break the outer skin. Once the tomatoes are all empty, place them upside down on some kitchen towel to drain. As you carve them, place the flesh in a sieve and save the juice. Indeed, you will make a ‘pomodorette’ with this last, by adding olive oil, salt and black pepper and which will use later to season the panzanella.
Finely chop all the veggies. In a pan heat some olive oil and cook the carrots, celery and onion. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes and then add the courgette. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cook for few minutes.
Once ready, set aside in a bowl and in the same pan where you cooked the veggies, heat a tbsp of oil to toast the bread which you had previously cut into small cubes. Toast for a few minutes until brown and crunchy. Put the bread in the same bowl with the veggies, add fresh basil leaves and mix all together seasoning with the pomodorette.
Tomatoes are now ready to be filled with the panzanella and you can garnish them with a pinch of black pepper and basil leaves.
