Fresh Tomatoes à la Hasselbacken

You’re most likely familiar with Hasselback potatoes ~ what about Hasselback tomatoes?

This trendy little side dish might make you hesitate, but once you try it, you may be sold on it!

“Hasselbacking” has been around since the 1950’s, when cooks at the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, were peeling and partially slicing large potatoes, brushing them with butter, sprinkling them with bread crumbs, and baking them. 

Not only did patrons like the looks of the vegetable, they enjoyed the savory taste and variety of textures it offered.  To this day, it’s still on the hotel’s menu.

Instead of potatoes, this Cook’s Country  recipe focused on tomatoes.  They doubled-down on, flavors, and stuffed the tomatoes with savory pesto and tangy pungent Gruyère cheese. 

 

Instead of baking the concoction, the tomatoes were given a short blast under the broiler to lessen oven time, allowing the tomatoes to retain some summery freshness.

Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead when I wanted to take photos of cutting the slices in the tomatoes.  See the same method here with potatoes, showing the wooden spoon handles used to guide the knife when slicing the tomatoes.

 The end result was fresh-tasting tomatoes, melty cheese, and crunchy crumbs.  A great side dish for you tomato, pesto and Gruyère lovers out there!

Yield: 4-6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Hasselback Tomatoes

Accordian-like tomatoes, filled with pesto and Gruyère cheese, a great side dish for your dinner table!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ripe plum tomatoes, cored
• 7 ounces Gruyère (1-1/4 cups) shredded
• 1-1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 6 tables extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and seasoned pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet, set aside. On a cutting board or plate, using serrated knife, cut 1/4-inch-thick slice from 1 long side of each tomato. Turn tomatoes onto cut sides so the sit flat, then slice crosswise at 1/4" intervals, leaving bottom 1/4" of each tomato intact.
2. (Place the handles of wooden spoons on either side of tomato to prevent the knife from cutting through.)
3. Process 1/4 cup Gruyère, basil, oil, panko, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in food processor until smooth, scrapping down sides of bowl as needed, about 10 seconds.
4. Adjust oven rack 6" from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Carefully open tomato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using small spoon, spread basil mixture evenly between tomato slices (about 2 tablespoons per tomato.)
5. Arrange tomatoes on prepared wire rack. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over tomatoes. Broil until cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
   Serve

Created using The Recipes Generator

Enjoy!