Ricotta Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes

The below recipe is something I find myself making as a snack when I have left over ricotta. It’s a great recipe to scale up or down because it simply require 1 tbs of ricotta per tomato, 1/4 tbs of egg whites per tomato & whatever flavors you would like to add. In this case I had pesto on hand, so I capitalized on those flavors.

The below recipe is for 1 serving (4 vine tomatoes)

Ingredients:

4 Vine Tomatoes
4 tbs Ricotta Cheese
1 tbs Egg Whites
1 tbs Pesto
1 tbs Parmesan
1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1 small pinch Ground Nutmeg
1 small squeeze Lemon
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Sea Salt
Olive Oil (enough to drizzle & coat tomatoes)

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Slice 4 Vine Tomatoes about 1 cm from the top. Using a melon baller, core the inside removing any seeds & veins. Coat the inside & outside of tomatoes with Olive Oil & place in an oven safe dish with the openings facing up. Add Sea Salt & Black Pepper

In a mixing bowl combine, Ricotta Cheese, Egg Whites, Pesto, Parmesan, Red Pepper Flakes, Ground Nutmeg, Lemon Juice, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, and Sea Salt.

Using your melon baller stuff each tomato with Ricotta Cheese Filling (About 2.5 scoops per tomato depending on how large your Tomatoes are)

Drizzle stuffed tomatoes with Olive Oil & bake uncovered for approximately 20 minutes (until the Tomato skins begin to look wrinkled & the cheese starts to become golden on top.

Allow to cool before eating.

NOTE:
- If you notice your oven browning the cheese faster than the Tomato can cook, feel free to cover with tin foil to delay browning.
- If you notice your tomato bruising too much before the cheese is golden turn your oven to a Broil at 375° F and keep an eye on the Tomatoes (they should brown within a few seconds)

Chef Snack: If you have any remaining filling, place a dollop on each tomato “top” that you would otherwise discard and bake those off as well. After all, every chef deserves a snack.