4 large ripe tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup lightly pressed down crumbs from fresh homemade type white bread
2 tablespoons minced shallots or scallions
1 clove of garlic, minced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 Preheat oven to 400°F
2 Cut the tomatoes in half (not through the stem). Gently squeeze them to remove excess juice; dig out the seeds with your little finger. Salt and pepper the insides lightly and turn upside down on a rack to drain while you prepare the stuffing.
3 Toss the breadcrumbs with the shallots or scallions, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, blending in droplets of olive oil as you do so.
4 Divide the stuffing into 8 portions and mound into each tomato; arrange the tomatoes into a lightly oiled baking dish. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the crumbs, if you wish.
5 About 20 minutes before serving, bake in the upper third of the oven until the crumbs are lightly browned and the tomatoes are hot through but still hold their shape. Serve them soon as they risk a collapse if kept warm!
