Stuffed Tomatoes with Tuna and Cellini Beans

 Tomatoes Stuffed with Tuna and Cellini Beans

3/4 cup dried cellini, cannellini or white navy beans, soaked for several hours or overnight (or 1 can of beans, drained)

1 bay leaf

several peppercorns

1 clove garlic

4 large tomatoes

1/2 red onion, sliced as thin as you can

2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley

12 ounce can tuna, packed in water, drained

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

kosher or sea salt and pepper

Drain the beans and place in a saucepan with 1 bay leave, several peppercorns, a clove of garlic and 1 tablespoon of salt.  Add water to cover by a at least an inch and simmer over low heat, covered, until tender about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Drain.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil.

Slice tops off of the tomatoes and scoop out seeds and most of the flesh with a spoon.  Lightly salt the inside of each tomato and place upside down on paper towels to drain for about 3o minutes.

In a bowl, stir together the beans, tuna fish, onion, parsley and the remainder of the olive oil.  Generously season with salt to taste and add pepper to taste.  Spoon the mixture into the tomatoes and serve.

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