You've Been Chopping Tomatoes Wrong! Here's The Right Way:

Gourmandize Staff, 09/20/2017

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Juicy, delicious, and a staple in our kitchen: tomatoes add tremendous flavor to all kinds of dishes. On the cutting board, however, it's often a different story. The moment we make the first cut, the fruit loses its shape and juice squirts all over the place! But with these tricks, you'll finally be able to chop with ease and put an end to the tomato massacre.

Use The Right Knife

To cut tomatoes, you should always use a serrated knife. The little indents allow the knife to grab onto the tomato and cut through, rather than sliding around and squishing it in the process. You'll also be able to apply less pressure, allowing the tomato to retain its structural integrity.

Slice An dice

You'll want to alter your chopping technique according to the type of tomato. To dice Roma tomatoes, for instance, you can start by chopping off the bottom so it lies flat. Then cut it lengthwise and lay each half flat-side down. To chop multiple cherry or grape tomatoes at once, you can gather several between your hand and a chopping board (or between two plates), then carefully cut down the middle with a sharp knife.

Can't get enough? Check out our Middle Eastern Tomato & Cucumber Summer Salad recipe.

Chef Tips and Tricks

VIDEO: Tasty Beef Tomato Pockets

Looking for an easy snack or party appetizer? These little beef pockets are a pinch!

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups flour
1 cup olive oil
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
Water

Filling:

1 onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup water
1 cup tomato sauce

Method

Mix flour, sugar, salt, milk, and water in a pan, and mix until you form a dough.
In a saucepan, heat a splash of olive oil and add the onion. Cook on medium-high until onion has softened.
Add the ground beef, and add the salt, water, and tomato sauce. When the meat has browned, remove from heat.
Dust a flat surface with flour, and roll out the dough into a flat sheet.
Use a ramekin or cup to cut out circles.
Add a dollop of beef-tomato mixture to the center of each circle.
Pinch the dough into a little pocket.
Bake in the oven at 350° F for 15 minutes.
Enjoy!