Inspired from the classic flavors of Tomatoes Provencal, this Passover version uses crushed matzo in place of breadcrumbs and is flavored with aromatic herbs de Provence and Parmesan cheese to bring it all together.
Tomatoes Provencal, Passover Edition
Tomato provencal is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients. For this recipe, I channeled Julia Child's tomato provencal recipe. The original recipe uses breadcrumbs, so for the Passover edition, I substituted ground matzo in place of the breadcrumbs while keeping all of the classic herbaceous flavors of the recipe.
Right before the tomatoes roast, they are filled with a mixture of crushed matzo, herbes de Provence, garlic and Parmesan cheese.
As the tomatoes continue cooking, they gently blister and soften and become even sweeter. The aromatic herb blend is perfumed and the grated Parmesan cheese crusts over the tomatoes, offering a perfectly savory bite. It is truly a delicious recipe.
Ingredients
- Fresh Tomatoes: Look for vine ripened tomatoes that are medium to large size, which are large enough to hold the herb parmesan stuffing
- Matzo: During Passover, matzo crackers are used which are crushed into a breadcrumb consistency. If you don't celebrate Passover, substitute with panko breadcrumbs or gluten free panko breadcrumbs.
- Herbs de Provence: This spice mixture is the star of the recipe! Herbs de Provence is a blend of dried rosemary, dried thyme and sometimes dried lavender. The mixture is fragrant and aromatic and is what gives the tomatoes provencal it's distinct flavors.
- Parmesan Cheese: This is a hard Italian cheese that can be found cut in wedges or already grated. Parmesan cheese is nutty and gives a delicious savory not to the tomato stuffing.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don't celebrate Passover or want to make tomatoes provencal another time of the year, substitute the matzo with panko breadcrumbs.
- if herbs de Provence is not available, add ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano, thyme and basil.
How to Make Tomatoes Provencal
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds
- Sprinkle salt onto tomato halves and drizzle a shallow baking sheet or dish with olive oil and place tomatoes on top, cut size facing up.
- In a bowl, add the ground Matzo and water to moisten and mix together.
- Add the herbs de Provence, Parmesan cheese, garlic and salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Stuff each tomato with matzo parmesan mixture, gently pressing down on the topping to get the filling into the tomato cups.
- Drizzle the stuffed tomatoes with olive oil and bake for 20-22 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften and the topping begins to brown.
- Once done, let cool for a few minutes and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Herbs de Provence is a spice mixture consisting of dried thyme, dried oregano, marjoram and sometimes fried lavender. Herbs de Provence is aromatic and can be used to season chicken saltimbocca and on top of vegetable pizza.
Main Courses to Serve With Tomatoes Provencal
Spatchcock Chicken with Lemon (if Kosher, sub vegan butter or omit and use all olive with herbs).
Matzo Stuffed Tomatoes Provencal
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large vine tomatoes cut in half and seeds and juice removed
- 2 matzo crackers finely ground
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped or grated
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds
- Sprinkle salt onto tomato halves and drizzle a shallow baking sheet or dish with olive oil and place tomatoes on top, cut size facing up.
- In a bowl, add the ground Matzo and water to moisten and mix together.
- Add the herbs de Provence, Parmesan cheese, garlic and salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Stuff each tomato with matzo parmesan mixture, gently pressing down on the topping to get the filling into the tomato cups.
- Drizzle the stuffed tomatoes with olive oil and bake for 20-22 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften and the topping begins to brown.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally shared on What Jew Wanna Eat in March, 2013. It has been updated (with permission) in March 2022 with the full recipe and nutritional information.
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