While its not completely in keeping with the recipe, if you are making the tomatoes and have no fresh basil, use pre-prepared pesto in favour of dried basil.

Ingredients

• 8 tomatoes
• 200 grams feta cheese
• ¼ cup cream cheese or cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or use basil pesto
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices bread, sandwich thickness
• 25 grams butter

Method

1. Cut a thin slice from the base end of each tomato (opposite the stalk end).
2. Using a small sharp knife or a small spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh and seeds, keep the tomato whole. Stand the tomatoes upside down to drain.
3. In a food processor combine the feta, cream cheese and basil and season with freshly ground black pepper. You won't need salt as the feta is salty enough.
4. Spoon the filling into the tomatoes. Cook uncovered at 180ºC for 20 minutes or until the cheese mixture looks lightly melted and the tomatoes cooked. The mixture should be warmed through.
5. Cut 8-9cm circles from the bread slices and pan fry in butter until golden.
6. Serve each tomato on a bread slice, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Cooks Tips

- You could add a little blue cheese if you're a blue cheese enthusiast.