From My Carolina Kitchen
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the stem end off of each tomato and remove about a third to half of the core and discard. If necessary, cut a thin slice from the bottom so the tomato will stand upright. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes liberally with good sea salt and turn the tomato over and let drain on a rack or paper towels. In a bowl mix together equal parts seasoned dried bread crumbs and Panko bread crumbs with your choice of chopped fresh herbs (I like flat-leaf parsley, thyme and rosemary, or if fresh basil is in season, use in place of the rosemary). Drizzle a little good extra-virgin olive oil in the crumb mixture and mix until it comes together, then stuff the crumb mixture into the tomatoes, mounding on top with a spoon.
Place the tomatoes, crumb side up, in an ovenproof pan and drizzle a little more extra-virgin olive oil over the tops, letting some fall into the pan. It’s fine if the tomatoes touch. It helps them hold themselves upright. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops are golden and the tomatoes have started to soften. Check the tomatoes at 15 minutes to make sure the crumbs aren’t burning. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature as a side dish.
Variations: Add a small piece of raw bacon on top of the crumbs before placing in the oven. Include some finely chopped garlic in the crumb stuffing. Vary the fresh herbs according to your taste.
An old Hoffer family favorite, serves 4, easily doubled or tripled