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Prep time
15 minutes
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makes
2 stuffed tomatoes
Author Notes
Like a hasselback potato, but it’s a juicy tomato instead. Perfect for summer, this is a fun twist on the classic Italian caprese. Just nestle creamy mozzarella into a ripe, scored tomato, then top with fresh basil and a crunchy, spicy chile oil! Bonus points if you can find some large, funky heirlooms. If not, beefsteak tomatoes work, too. —Marissa Mullen
Test Kitchen Notes
This simple recipe is so good and honestly, a little spicy. There are quite a lot of chile flakes, so go ahead and scale down if you prefer a milder salad (or add even more if you like things super spicy).
This recipe is part of our August Tomato-thon, where we’re encouraging our community to try our favorite tomatoey recipes. Tell us what you loved and what you tweaked on Instagram or TikTok—tag us at @food52 and include the hashtag #f52tomatothon. —The Editors
Ingredients
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1/3 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon
dried minced onion
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1 tablespoon
dried minced garlic
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1 teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon
mild vinegar (such as white wine or apple cider)
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1/2 teaspoon
honey
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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2
large heirloom tomatoes
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1
(8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella
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8
basil leaves, thinly sliced
Directions
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In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dried onion, dried garlic, pepper flakes, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until combined. Taste and adjust if needed.
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Place both tomatoes on a cutting board, stem side down. Using a serrated knife, evenly score the tomatoes, slicing three-quarters of the way through.
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Halve the mozzarella, then thinly slice into half-moons.
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Stuff the tomato crevices with the mozzarella slices.
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Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes. Garnish with the basil, plus more salt and pepper.
Marissa Mullen is a Brooklyn-based food stylist, recipe developer, photographer and cheese lover. She is the founder of That Cheese Plate and creator of the Cheese By Numbers method. She is also the author of the best-selling cookbook, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, a step-by-step styling guide for crafting beautiful and delicious cheese plates as a form of creative expression. Featured on The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Business Insider, Vox among others, Marissa is dedicated to bringing people together through creativity, food and entertainment.
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