Tomato muffins with a gooey mozzarella center

Ingredients

• 1+1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• salt
• pepper
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 8 mini mozzarella balls

To decorate (optional):

• fresh basil leaves

Materials

• 1 muffin tin

Preparation

• Mix the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs and olive oil and mix well.
• Add the oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.
  
• Then add the grated Parmesan and mozzarella and the tomato paste. Mix until the batter is smooth.
• Transfer the batter to a greased muffin tin using a tablespoon.
  
• Add drained mozzarella balls to the center of each muffin.
• Bake the muffins in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
  
• Remove from the oven, unmold and place small basil leaf caps on top before serving!

Observations

How to store savory muffins?
Place them in an airtight container (a freezer bag, a plate covered with plastic wrap, a box, etc.) in the refrigerator. You can keep them for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze savory muffins?
Yes, you can freeze these muffins without any problem.

How to defrost muffins?
You can take them out in advance and place them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to reheat them. Alternatively, reheat them in the oven for longer.

How to reheat savory muffins?
You can put them in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes.

Are muffins eaten hot or cold?
You can eat them hot or cold. However, if you eat them cold, the mozzarella in the center will no longer be gooey.

What can you use instead of tomato paste?
You can replace the tomato paste with tomato sauce; if you do, use 2 tablespoons.

Can you replace the Parmesan and grated mozzarella?
You can replace them with other cheeses, such as Grana Padano or Pecorino instead of the Parmesan, and grated Emmental instead of the mozzarella. You can also leave these ingredients out of the batter if you wish.

What herbs can you add?
You can replace the oregano with herbes de Provence, thyme, dried basil, or rosemary, for example.

How do you fill the muffin tin?
You can use a tablespoon or gently pour the batter from the bowl.

How do you know when the muffins are done?
Insert a wooden skewer into the side of a muffin (not into the mozzarella). If it comes out clean, the muffin is done; otherwise, continue baking.

How to make muffins without a muffin tin?
You can use greased ramekins or oven-safe glasses or cups.

How to turn these muffins into a loaf cake?
You can use this recipe to make a loaf cake instead of muffins. Mix the mozzarella balls into the batter or insert them into the batter after pouring it into a greased loaf pan. Bake the loaf cake for 45 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

Cookware

Attributes

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe