Fall

Swiss Chard + Walnut Stuffed Tomatoes with Pancetta Breadcrumbs

September 16, 2013
4
1 Ratings
  • Serves 4
What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 ounces sliced pancetta, chopped
  • 4 ounces stale bread
  • 4 to 6 medium, ripe tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped Swiss chard (from 1/2 medium bunch)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Directions
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crispy and it renders fat, about 6 minutes. Remove pancetta from skillet (reserve fat). Set skillet aside.
  2. Meanwhile, place bread in the bowl of a food processor. Process until coarse crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups). Slice the stem end off the tomatoes and use a spoon or melon baller to remove the contents (leaving outer flesh intact to form a cup). Season inside of tomatoes with salt and pepper.
  3. Return skillet to medium heat and add thyme leaves to fat in pan. Add breadcrumbs and walnuts to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 minutes. Transfer breadcrumbs to a large bowl; wipe out skillet.
  4. Return skillet to high heat and add olive oil. Add Swiss chard to skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, tender, and liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in red-wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Stir together cooked chard and breadcrumb mixture. Spoon filling into prepared tomatoes and sprinkle with pancetta. Place tomatoes on a serving platter and drizzle with remaining olive oil and vinegar.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • darksideofthespoon
    darksideofthespoon
  • LLStone
    LLStone
  • Anne HarrisCabrera
    Anne HarrisCabrera
  • Exbruxelles
    Exbruxelles
Before her diagnosis, Caroline wrote a book on cakes called Cake Magic!. She started developing a birthday cake using her gluten-free mix found in that book. Check out other recipes she’s developing for her new life—and the stories behind them—on her blog, The Wright Recipes. Her next book, Soup Club, is a collection of recipes she made for her underground soup club of vegan and grain-free soups she delivers every week to friends throughout Seattle's rainy winter.

6 Reviews

Anne H. August 14, 2017
Made these last week for company. Warmed them 20 minutes. Delicious.
 
Exbruxelles September 25, 2013
I used red wine, but in my experience very little isn't improved with balsamic. I think you're safe either way.
 
darksideofthespoon September 25, 2013
Funny story.. I actually totally forgot the add the vinegar. I pre-made these for dinner just now. I guess I'll just drizzle some over the top and leave it at that! Hahaha.
 
darksideofthespoon September 25, 2013
I plan on making this tonight.. sounds great! Just one question - in the instructions it says red wine vinegar, in the ingredients it says balsamic. Which one do you usually use?
 
LLStone September 20, 2013
I agree, this is really good. I do love this column..
 
Exbruxelles September 20, 2013
This is excellent. I've made it twice: The first as written here--clean and fresh and lovely. The second time I omitted the walnuts, added a handful of parmesan and baked the tomatoes for 20 minutes. A different dish, to be sure, but also really good.