Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice
added 03/07/08
Serves 6
The baked stuffed tomatoes are best prepared in advance and served at room temperature. Their own velvety sweetness is enriched with currants, nuts, and a whiff of mint.
12 medium-size tomatoes
4 Tbs. sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/2 cup dried currants
2 Tbs. pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 Tbs. chopped mint leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
Cut a thin slice off tops of tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out tomato pulp, chop, drain, and reserve. Sprinkle sugar inside tomatoes. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 10-inch skillet. Add onion. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add rice, stir and cook a few minutes. Add currants, pine nuts, mint, half the tomato pulp, and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Puree remaining tomato pulp and spread in bottom of shallow baking dish that will hold all the tomatoes without much room to spare. Spoon rice mixture into tomatoes; it will not fill them. Replace tops, spoon a tablespoon of oil over each tomato, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 1-1/2 hours. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving as an appetizer or with cold poached fish or grilled lamb.
—Adapted from The Best Book of Greek Cookery by Chrissa Paradissis
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