Rice Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes
• 8 ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 2 anchovy fillets (finely chopped (see below for vegetarian version))
• 2 teaspoons capers
• 2 tablespoons basil leaves (finely shredded)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided )
• 2 teaspoons salt (divided)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C

2. 2

   Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes.

3. 3

   Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a small baking pan that will fit the 8 tomatoes plus a bit of room to spare.

4. 4

   Toss cubed potato in the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt.

5. 5

   Bake for 20 minutes.

6. 6

   In the meantime, fill a medium saucepan with water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to boil. Add rice and cook for 8 minutes. Drain when ready. Allow to cool.

7. 7

   While the rice is cooking, cut tops off tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out the tomato pulp and seeds. Discard excess seeds. Chop and reserve the pulp and any juices.

8. 8

   In a medium bowl mix cooked cooled rice, reserved tomato flesh, anchovy fillets, capers, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with ½ teaspoon salt.

9. 9

   By this time the potatoes should have been in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and give the potatoes a stir. Scrape up any that might be stuck.

10. 10

    Fill tomatoes with rice mixture. Nestle the filled tomatoes into a baking tray of potatoes and replace reserved tops.

11. 11

    Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

12. 12

    Bake for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes are just beginning to split and wrinkle and the rice is completely cooked..

13. 13

    Serve barely warm or these are also good at room temperature.