Tomatoes with Rice

Wash and dry the ripe tomatoes. Cut off the top, then carefully scoop out the seeds and some of the pulp, without piercing the base or the sides. Keep the extracted pulp: it will be used to flavor the rice and create the sauce. pan juicesArrange the hollowed-out tomatoes while you wait for the filling.

Sift part of the tomato pulp to obtain a more uniform consistency and free of large seeds. Keep the remaining amount separate. to the mixture from that to be distributed in the baking panThe pulp should be fluid and homogeneous, suitable for binding the rice without making it excessively liquid.

Combine the rice, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, chopped basil, oregano, part of the sieved pulp and a pinch of salt in a bowl. tablespoon of tomato sauce. Add a pinch of salt and one of freshly ground pepper, then mix until the herbs and seasoning are evenly distributed.

Cover the bowl and let the rice marinate for an hour. While it rests, the grain absorbs some of the tomato juices and the aromas of the herbs become more harmonious. After the indicated time, remove the lid. clove of garlic, checking that no pieces remain into the mixture.

Pour some olive oil into a baking pan Bake and line up the hollowed-out tomatoes. Season each one with a little oil and salt, then fill it two-thirds full with the flavored rice. Don't compress the filling: the rice needs to have room to expand during cooking.

Close each tomato with its own cap. Spread the remaining pulp around it and the second tablespoon of tomato sauce, thinned with a little water. Drizzle the surface of the tomatoes with the remaining oil and finish with a pinch of salt. The bottom should be moist and well seasoned, without submerging the tomatoes.

Bake it baking pan at 200°C (392°F) and cook for an hour and a half. When finished, the caps should appear wilted and lightly browned, while the rice should be cooked and blended with the tomato juices. The pulp and sauce should be thick, fragrant, and still soft.

To complete the dish, peel two potatoes and cut them into wedgesSeason them with olive oil and salt, then place them in the same baking pan along with the tomatoes before cooking. The potatoes will cook in the same pan, absorbing some of the juices and flavors from the sauce.