Stuffed tomatoes with risotto

Italian cooks are brilliant at making something good out of nothing very much: witness these tomatoes stuffed with creamy leftover risotto and pesto sauce and crowned with a crunchy topping.

Serves: 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

• 4 medium vine ripened tomatoes, about 2 1/4 inch diameter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons Pesto sauce, or from a jar
• 8 heaped tablespoons leftover risotto, cold
• 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons Bread Crumbs
• Olive oil spray

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally and scoop out and discard most of the core and seeds. Pour the olive oil into an 8x10x2 inch baking dish. Arrange the tomatoes in it, cut side up. Place a half teaspoon of pesto into each one and top with the risotto. Grate the cheese over the filled tomatoes, and top with the bread crumbs, pressing them lightly into place. It’s fine if some fall into the dish. Spray the tomatoes lightly with olive oil. Bake until the tomatoes are tender and the skins start to wrinkle, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon some of the browned juice and crumbs in the baking dish over each serving.