Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes

I have two confessions to make.  First, I have yet to think about what I'm making at Thanksgiving.  Yes, I have the turkey, but that is about it.  By this time I have usually planned a menu (appetizers, vegetables, potatoes, stuffing, bread, and dessert), and I've purchased all of my supplies.  This year the turkey stands alone. And the worst part is who knows when I'm going to make it to the store?  I have a very busy work week ahead of me.  Hopefully the stores won't be bare come Wednesday.

My second confessions involves stuffing, or dressing, or whatever you want to call it; I'll eat it but I don't like it.  I make it every year because everyone else at the table seems to enjoy it, but not me.  Every year I try something different hoping that "this will be the recipe", but I have yet to find a winner.  Perhaps this year, in homage to Mississippi, I will try cornbread-based dressing and cross my fingers.

So keeping with the theme of NOT planning for Thanksgiving: ricotta stuffed tomatoes.  They are great served with simple buttered pasta and a green salad, or would be a perfect finger-food for an upcoming holiday party.  Here I use compari tomatoes (they are larger than a cherry tomato but smaller than a plum), but I would recommend cherry tomatoes if serving them as an hors d'oeuvre.  The tomatoes can be easily stuffed a day early and quickly cooked before serving.  Hey, maybe put some out while the turkey cooks?

The first step involves cutting off the tops of the tomatoes, which I save to use in pasta or a salad.  Or if you have a strange cat like I do, give her a taste.  Yes, my cat loves tomatoes.  She runs into the kitchen at the sound of me chopping, hoping I am cutting tomatoes and hoping that I will give her some.

Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes
1 lb campari or cherry tomatoes
¾ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
½ a beaten egg

½ teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

With a paring knife, cut the tops off the tomatoes and carefully remove the pulp and seeds. Set these hallow vesicles aside.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the cheese, egg, salt, and oregano.  Fill each tomato with the cheese mixture and place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Cook until the cheese is warm throughout but the tomatoes are not collapsing, 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the tomatoes.  Without removing the tomatoes, turn the broiler on to brown the cheese slightly.  This will take 3-5 minutes, depending on how close the tomatoes are to the broiler.  Do not walk away; at this point you could very easily burn the cheese.  

Remove the tomatoes from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

Pizza Night

Homemade pizza is fantastic.  The toppings here are pretty simple, but think of it as a blank canvas for endless creations; infinite combinations of cheese, sauce, and veggies.  Let your creative juices flow. 


This recipe is for a Margarita-style pizza.  Traditionally Margarita pizza is topped with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.  Here I cheat a little and use canned tomatoes and shredded mozzarella, along with fresh basil.  But I highly recommend trying out this recipe using fresh ingredients at the peak of tomato and basil season.


The most difficult part of this recipe is the crust.  It is from scratch.  If you have never made yeast bread from scratch, pizza dough is a great starting point.  It has very few ingredients and can be pretty forgiving if you over kneed or under kneed.  Just plan ahead.  The dough will need to rise for an hour and a half before assembling the pizza. 



I've included two techniques for making the dough; utilizing either the simplest of all tools, your hands, or a stand mixer.  I've used both techniques.  Before receiving my stand mixer as a Christmas gift (Thanks Mom!) I sweated over many a pizza dough.  Just think of it as a great workout for your arms and shoulders.  If you have a stand mixer the dough couldn't be simpler; just add the ingredients and press go.


I learned this crust technique from a Venezuelan friend of mine who learned it from an Italian Grandmother.  It makes a thin crispy crust, just the way I like it.

Pizza

2½ teaspoons active dry yeast

1½ cups warm water

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

3½-4½ cups all purpose flour

1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5oz)

2½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz)

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

20 fresh basil leaves  

Dough By Hand
Add the warm water to a medium bowl (about 2 quarts) and sprinkle the yeast over top of the water and let stand until foamy, about 4 minutes.  If the mixture does not turn foamy the yeast is no longer active and new yeast needs to be used.  Once foamy stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt until the salt dissolves.  In a separate, large bowl (4 quarts) add 3½ cups of the flour.  Create large well in the center of the flour, large enough to incorporate the water-yeast mixture.  Pour the water-yeast mixture into the well and with a fork bring the flour in gradually from the sides, swirling the four into the liquid.  Keep mixing, drawing in larger amounts of flour as the mixture thickens.  Once the dough begins to form work the remaining flour in with clean, floured hands.  If the dough is too sticky add additional flour, ¼ cup at a time.  After all of the flour has been incorporated turn the dough out onto a clean floured surface and kneed by hand for 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.  Turn to coat the dough on all sides with the oil.  Cover the bowl with towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Dough With a Stand Mixer
In a stand mixerIn a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 4 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup of flour, and 1 tablespoon flour; mix until creamy.  Add the rest of the four, ½ cup at a time, and kneed with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and not sticky, about 10 minutes.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.  Turn to coat the dough on all sides with the oil.  Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Pizza Assembly 
Preheat the oven to 500°F. 

Punch down the dough, transfer to a lightly floured, clean surface, divide equally into three balls, and knead the balls briefly to shape them.  Cover and let the balls rise for an additional 30 minutes.

Flatten each ball and gently roll into round, thin crusts about 12-14 inches in diameter.  Place the crusts onto cornmeal dusted pizza stones or greased pizza pans.  Place the pizzas in the oven.  Once the crust begins to puff, poke with a fork, about 5 minutes.  Brush the crusts with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt to taste.  Place the dough back in the oven until the crust becomes golden brown, 5-10 minutes.  Remove the crust from the oven and spread 2/3 cup of the crushed tomatoes onto each round, leaving a ½ border around the edge.  Distribute the basil evenly among the pizzas and spread over the top of the tomatoes.  Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top of the pizzas and place them back in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden on the edges.

Serve and savor.