Baked Stuffed Tomatoes With Goat Cheese Fondue

-Melissa Clark, NYT.com

Time: 20 minutes

2 to 3 large firm tomatoes, or 4 to 6 small firm ones

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons mascarpone

3 tablespoons goat cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 anchovies, finely chopped

1/4 cup panko or other coarse bread crumbs

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. If necessary, slice a very thin layer off bottoms of tomatoes so they will stand upright. Core tomatoes, and carve them out, stopping about about 3/4 inch from bottom and sides. (Do not remove too much, or tomato will collapse when baked.) Season inside of each tomato with salt. In a small bowl, stir together mascarpone and goat cheese.

2. To prepare topping, melt butter with oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and anchovies, and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in bread crumbs, and sauté 2 minutes more. Season with pepper.

3. Fill each hollow with mascarpone mixture. Top generously with bread crumbs. Transfer tomatoes to a baking sheet, and bake until they are slightly blistered and the tops are golden, about 10 minutes.

Yield: 2 to 3 servings.