Reader Feature: Christine Datian's Stuffed Roma Tomatoes with Three Cheeses

Today's Reader Feature comes from regular contributor, Las Vegas, NV resident, Christine Datian. She shares with us her recipe for ‘Stuffed Roma Tomatoes with Three Cheeses’ which was recently published in the ‘LasVegas Review Journal’ as part of a story where readers ‘offer enough hors d’oeuvres to feed a party’.

Ready to serve

STUFFED ROMA TOMATOES WITH THREE CHEESES

Ingredients:

10-12 large Roma tomatoes

1 medium red onion, finely minced

2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced

Olive oil

½ pound ground lean beef or lamb

¼ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely minced

¼ cup medium-sized bulgur (found in Middle Eastern markets)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon each dried basil, dried thyme, sea salt and finely chopped lemon zest

½ teaspoon each black pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika or Aleppo pepper

Dash of cinnamon or allspice

¾ cup crumbled feta and kasseri cheese, combined

Chopped fresh mint or dried mint for garnish

Marinara or tomato sauce

Parmesan cheese

Juice of one lemon

 Directions:

1. Wash the tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out and reserve pulp and discard seeds. Chop reserved pulp and set aside.

2. Sauté onion with the garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add beef or lamb and brown the meat; drain.

3. Add the parsley, bulgur, tomato paste, spices and tomato pulp and heat through, stirring, for about 5-10 minutes until bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the Feta and Kasseri cheeses, to taste. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Tomatoes stuffed and ready to bake

4. Using a tablespoon, spoon some meat mixture into each tomato shell. Place stuffed shells on a cookie sheet or in a large greased casserole dish. Top each tomato with a tablespoon or two of marinara or tomato sauce and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until heated through and sauce is bubbly. (Check occasionally and spoon more sauce over tomatoes as they are cooking, if desired.)

5. Remove from oven, top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh or dried mint and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Place on a serving platter with a small bowl of marinara sauce and small slices of garlic or cheese toast. Serve hot or cold.

— Recipe from Christine Vartanian Datian, Las Vegas

Posted December 9, 2014, From the Las Vegas Review Journal