Method

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium saute pan.  Stir in the two chopped onions, and cook until softened.  Add the chopped meat and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.  Season to taste with salt and freshly milled black pepper. 

Mix together the garlic, pignolias, olives and basil. Stir into beef. 

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and hollow them out by removing the seeds. Save tops.  Fill tomatoes with the beef mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Put the last tablespoon of olive oil in a gratin dish, and sprinkle onion slices over the oil.   Season lightly with salt and freshly milled pepper.

Put the filled tomatoes on top of the onions.  Put on the tops of the tomatoes like perky Provencal berets. 

Heat the beef stock and pour around the base of the tomatoes. 

Cover the dish with aluminum foil

Cook in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for 10 minutes longer. 

Contributor: Michelle Gibson

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