Name: Pomodori con riso (Tomatoes stuffed with rice)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: breadcrumbs; 10 basil leaves, roughly chopped; 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 250 ml (1 cup) water; 1 small stalk of celery, trimmed and finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; 250 g (9 oz) long-grain rice; 6 medium-sized ripe, round tomatoes; 5 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Twelve

By Tessa Kiros

Published 2003

About

There are a variety of tomatoes used in Tuscany. The salad tomato, with a pinky-green tone, is sometimes enjoyed slightly underripe. Plum tomatoes, or any very ripe tomatoes, are most often used to make sauces. For stuffing, large ripe, yet firm, tomatoes are selected. Serve these as an antipasto or as a side dish.

Ingredients

6 medium-sized ripe, round tomatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peele

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Slice off the tops of the tomatoes and set aside. Gently scoop out the flesh with a spoon, taking care not to break the tomatoes.

Put the tomato shells into an oven dish in a single layer. Lightly season inside and out, with salt.