Caprese Bombs

Ingredients

• 4 medium, ripe tomatoes

• 4 golf ball sized bocconcini OR 4 oz. of fresh mozzarella cut into large cubes

• 1/4 cup basil pesto

• 2 tbsp panko bread crumbs

• olive oil

• salt to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, cut a hole in the top of each tomato - roughly 2 inches in diameter. Using a spoon, remove and discard each tomato’s “guts” so that you are left with four perfect little tomato shells. Lightly season each tomato with salt. Next, spoon one tablespoon of pesto into each tomato shell. Then, fill each tomato with one bocconcini ball (or enough fresh moz to fill each). Place the tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish and sprinkle the tops with more salt and the panko breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is oozey and the panko is toasted.

Serve with bread, pasta, or a salad.

Enjoy.

TIPS

Use the insides of the scooped out tomatoes as a light sauce for pasta. Just add salt and olive oil.

To keep the tomatoes standing up in the dish, slice a sliver off the bottom of each tomato or use crumpled up aluminum foil around the outside of the tomatoes.