Greek Stuffed Tomatoes
Growing up, my brother and I spent three months every summer in Greece with our grandmother. In the weeks leading up to our arrival, γιαγιά would call us every other day to confirm - and reconfirm - what food we wanted her to cook for us. My brother's top request was - and still is - oven roasted lamb. My favorite dish is stuffed tomatoes. Γιαγιά's recipe is untouchable, so over the years I've experimented with my own versions. I finally landed on a recipe that's my own, but never fails to evoke memories of eating at γιαγιά's kitchen table.
- 10 large tomatoes, ripe
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup rice
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- salt
- pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Gently wash tomatoes, taking care not to bruise them.
Using a sharp knife, cut the tops off the tomatoes. Save the tops (you'll put them back on the tomatoes after you stuff them).
Scoop out the insides of the tomatoes; transfer to a large bowl.
Place hollowed out tomatoes into a large baking pan.
Puree the insides of the tomatoes (I like to use an immersion blender). Transfer half the pureed mixture into a separate bowl and set aside.
Add the olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mint, parsley, almonds, raisins, and cheese to the large bowl that contains half the pureed tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture; cap each tomato with its top.
Season the remaining tomato puree with salt and pepper, and add a healthy pour of olive oil. Whisk the mixture, and pour it into the baking dish around the tomatoes.
Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and cover tightly with foil. Let sit for 1 hour before serving. The tomatoes are best served warm.
