Tomato Stuffed with Taleggio

Ingredients:

8 ripe tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

5 tbsp flour

2 cups milk dash of nutmeg

4 oz. taleggio cheese, diced

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped basil

Cut the tomatoes in half, squeezing gently to emove the seeds. Sprinkle with a little salt and lay them upside down on a cutting board to drain. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a small saucepan, then add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens. Then, over low heat, slowly add the milk, stirring continuously. Cook until the mixture is smooth and dense. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining oil and sprinkle with the parsley and basil. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400F. for 20 minutes. Fill the tomatoes with the cheese sauce and cook for 20 minutes more. Wine: a dry, fruity white.

From the book /Book-Italian-Regional-Recipes-Cheese by Gabriella Ganugi. Published by The Wine Appreciation Guild.