Tomatoes Stuffed With Rice

From Greek Cooking for the Gods. If you happen to have some cooked rice on hand, this goes together quickly. It is also easy to make a smaller amount since all of the ingredients can easily be adjusted according to taste anyway.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 5-10

Ingredients

• 10  medium tomatoes
• 1  cup olive oil
• 2  onions, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2  tablespoons fresh dill, minced
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
• 1  cup long-grain white rice
• 1⁄2 cup pine nuts
•  salt
•  pepper
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 3⁄4 cup dry white wine
•  sugar, for sprinkling
• 1⁄2 cup hot water

Directions

1. Cut off 1/2 inch from the tops of the tomatoes. Reserve tops and scoop out pulp from bottoms, forming shells about 1/3 inch thick.
2. Turn shells upside down on a wire rack to drain, chop pulp finely and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350. In a skillet over medium high heat, warm 1/4 cup of the oil. Add onions and saute till golden, about 7 minutes.
4. Add reserved tomato pulp, parsley, garlic, dill, 1 T of oregano, rice, pine nuts, salt and pepper (to taste). Stir well.
5. Dilute tomato paste in 1/2 of the wine and add to skillet. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. (If using rice that's already cooked, you don't need to cover. Just simmer till liquid reduces and flavors have a chance to blend.).
6. Turn tomato shells upright and sprinkle interiors with salt, pepper and sugar.
7. Stuff tomatoes with rice mixture and cover with reserved tops.
8. Place close together in a baking pan.
9. Drizzle the remaining oil over tomatoes, sprinkle with the remaining oregano, and splash with the remaining wine. Pour the water into the pan.
10. Bake till the tomatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork (about 35 minutes), basting frequently with pan juices.
11. Serves 5 as an entree or 8-10 as a side dish.