Julia Child's Provencal Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 3 Large firm ripe tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup bread crumbs (homemade preferably)
• 2 Tbsp. minced shallots
• 1 tsp. dried Herbes de Provence
• 3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil (plus more for drizzling)

Instructions

1. 1

   Set a rack in the upper level and preheat the oven to 400F.

2. 2

   Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and core the tomatoes. Over a bowl or the sink if you don’t wish to save the juice, gently squeeze each half to remove the seeds and juice.

3. 3

   With your fingers, clean the cavities of any clinging seeds. Arrange them in a shallow baking dish cut side up.

4. 4

   If they don’t stand flat, cut a small amount off the bottom of the tomato so that they will sit flat. Season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Stir together the bread crumbs, shallots, Herbes de Provence, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Add 2-3 Tbsp. of olive oil to moisten the crumbs and toss to coat evenly.

6. 6

   Spoon the stuffing onto the tomatoes, making sure that it goes down inside the tomatoes by pushing it into the cavities, and then mound on top.

7. 7

   Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil. If making ahead, you can cover and refrigerate at this point or bake for 20 min. until the tops are nicely browned and the tomatoes are hot, but still keep their shape.

8. 8

   Serve them hot in the baking dish or move them carefully to a platter.