Tomatoes à la Provençale (tomatoes stuffed with breadcrumbs, herbs and garlic)

Remove the stem from each washed tomato with a small circle cut, then cut the tomatoes in half crosswise.

Gently squeeze out the juice and seeds without ruining the tomato; remove remaining seeds with a finger.

Set the halves on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper.

Make breadcrumbs from day-old bread, as coarse or fine as wanted.

In a food processor, blend the shallot, garlic, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, olive oil and breadcrumbs together.

Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Spoon the filling onto the tomatoes without crowding them; make a second batch of filling if it runs short.

Bake on the top rack at 400F for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender but hold their shape and the breadcrumbs are lightly browned.