Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

Rice-stuffed tomatoes are a classic summer dish that is light and flavorful. Here is the recipe to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 6 ripe tomatoes of similar size
• 150 g of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• 1 clove of garlic
• Fresh basil (a few leaves)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable broth or water
• (Optional) Salted capers, pitted black olives, mozzarella, or oregano to enrich the filling

Preparation

1. Wash the tomatoes, cut off the top to create a “lid,” and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Salt the inside of the tomatoes and place them upside down on a dish to lose their vegetative water.

2. In the meantime, cook the rice in plenty of salted water for half the time indicated on the package, so that it remains very al dente. Drain and cool it under a stream of cold water.

3. Take the tomato pulp, chop it up, and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of oil and the garlic clove. After a few minutes, remove the garlic and add the rice to the tomato sauce, stirring to flavor it. Adjust the salt and pepper.

4. Off the heat, add chopped basil, grated Parmesan cheese to the rice, and if desired, capers, olives, and diced mozzarella.

5. Stuff the tomatoes with the rice and put the “lid” back on each of them. Place them in an oiled dish and add a little vegetable broth or water to the bottom to prevent them from sticking and to create a moist environment during cooking.

6. Bake the tomatoes in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 20-30 minutes, or until the surface of the rice is slightly golden and the tomatoes are tender but still hold their shape.

Serve them warm or at room temperature; they are delicious either way.

Trivia

Rice-stuffed tomatoes are a traditional recipe of Roman cuisine, where they are often cooked together with potatoes, which absorb the tomato juice during cooking, becoming extremely tasty.