A classic combination - cheese and tomato - but this is next level cheese and tomato - Baked Mozzarella Tomatoes. Sounds goooood doesn't it???
You can be eating these bad boys in just 35 minutes.
First you cut your tomatoes in thirds, lay them on a baking tray, drizzle with oil then let them roast. After about 20 - 25 mins, you top the slices with fresh mozzarella, brush on a little pesto oil and roast again for 5 minutes.
What comes out of the oven will be little rounds of oozy cheesy pesto covered tomato. Stack them on a bed of rocket and that's it - hardly any effort, but next level cheese and tomato!
Just a heads up - these are going to let down some juice! After all - tomatoes have a lot of juice. That's where the rocket / arugula comes in.
It will end up bathed in a dressing of basil pesto & roasted tomato flavoured oil.....mmmmm...........love it!
Looking for a main to match these? Why not try Pesto Lamb Prosciutto Cutlets or Basil Pesto Crusted Lamb Racks - please excuse the photos, they are some of my first recipes and my photo skills have (thankfully) improved a bit since then!
Enjoy!
Lee-Ann ♥
Table of Contents
📖 Recipe
Baked Mozzarella Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes approx 500g in total
- 120 g fresh mozzarella ball (see notes)
- 3 teaspoon olive oil divided
- salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon basil pesto (see notes for my pesto recipe)
- 60 g fresh rocket / arugula
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 190c
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking/parchment paper and set aside
- Lay one tomato sideways on a cutting board, then using a very sharp knife cut tomato into thirds as shown in the above image - then repeat for remaining tomatoes
- Place slices of tomato on to prepared baking sheet, cut side up. Brush 1 teaspoon of olive oil on to cut side of tomatoes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 - 25 mins
- Meanwhile, slice your fresh mozzarella ball into 8 slices and set aside (see notes), and place rocket/arugula into the base of your serving dish
- When time is up, remove tray from the oven, and top each slice of tomato with a slice of fresh mozzarella - except for the tops or lids - just leave these as they are
- Mix basil pesto with remaining 2 teaspoon of olive oil, brush tops of mozzarella slices with pesto oil. Keep any remaining pesto oil for serving
- Return tray to oven (including tops/lids) and bake for another 5 mins
- Remove from oven and place bottom (smallest) slices evenly on to your prepared bed of rocket/arugula, then top these slices with the middle ones, then finish with the tops/lids
- Drizzle with any remaining pesto oil and serve immediately
Leave a Reply