Goat-Cheese Pesto Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pt cherry tomatoes
- Salt, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 4 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 8 oz mild goat cheese
- Additional pine nuts for garnishing
Method
- Using a very sharp knife, slice the top off of each cherry tomato. With a melon baller, remove most of the pulp from each tomato, leaving the outside shell intact. Lightly sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and set them cut sides down on paper towels to drain for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a food processor and process to a coarse paste. Add the goat cheese and process until very smooth.
- Transfer the goat-cheese mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the goat cheese mixture into each cherry tomato and lightly press a pine into the top.
Cook's Notes
Yield
8 to 10 servings
Advance Prep
Stuff the tomatoes up to 2 hours ahead of serving time.
Special Equipment
You will need a melon baller (a small measuring spoon can also work) to remove the pulp from the tomatoes and a pastry bag fitted with a fairly large star tip to pipe the cheese into the tomatoes.