30-Minute Italian: Ricotta And Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes
We're huge fans of Top Chef alum Fabio Viviani's cookbooks, and his latest is no exception. Pick up 30-Minute Italian and get ready to have a restaurant-worthy meal on the table in half an hour or less. These ricotta and sausage stuffed tomatoes come together in a flash!
This bold little dish can be a starter, side or a main. Take your pick, but don't neglect to make it. Start with firm tomatoes that will stand up to being stuffed, and when you fill the scooped-out halves, make a nice dome with the filling. I like sweet Italian sausage for this, but you can go with your favorite sausage. When I was young and living in Italy, my grandfather and I sometimes made this with green tomatoes, which were always cheaper than fully ripe ones. We also fried the green tomatoes. Delicious!
- 4 beefsteak tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 cup grated Grana Padano cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 pound chopped soppressata
- 1/4 pound cooked sweet Italian sausage
- 15 basil leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Cooking spray
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Set tomatoes on a sheet tray sprayed with cooking spray. Combine the olive oil, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, Grana Padano cheese, ricotta cheese, soppressata, Italian sausage and basil in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with an equal amount of the mixture.
- Place into the oven and cook for 8–10 minutes. Turn off the oven and set the broiler on high. Crust the top for another 2–3 minutes and remove. Let cool slightly and enjoy