Tomatoes Provencale
(Provencale referes to any dish in the style of Provence, a southeastern region of France)

• 4 medium tomatoes ( remove the cores and half of the pulp)
• 1 Tblsp. olive oil
• 3/4 C. fine chopped or minced onion
• 1 Tblsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp. chopped flat leaf (italian) parsley
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3/4 c. coarse bread crumbs
• 1/4 c. grated or shredded parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.

2. Core tomatoes and scoop the insides out to leave about half of the tomato empty for stuffing.

3. Heat skillet with oil to medium heat and sauté onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato pulp that you removed, herbs and seasonings. Sauté for about 4 minutes or until the liquid evaporates.

4. Remove from heat and stir in breadcrumbs and half of the parmesan cheese. Reserve the rest of the cheese for later.

5. Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture and sprinkle the tops with remaining Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes.

Great as a stand alone vegetarian dish, or combine your favorite meats, poultry, or seafoods for a delicious addition to the main course.