Instructions: Name; Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil over high heat. Pour in the rice in a slow thin stream, stir once or twice, and cook briskly uncovered for 8 minutes, or until the rice is softened but still somewhat resistant to the bite. Drain the rice in a sieve and set aside.

Cut a 1/4 inch slice off the stem ends of the tomatoes and set aside.

With a spoon, hollow out the tomatoes, remove the inner pulp and discard the seeds. Chop the pulp and set it aside. Sprinkle the tomato cavities with 1 teaspoon of salt and turn them upside down on paper towels to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Make the stuffing in the following fashion: In a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for 5 minutes, or until they are soft and transparent but not brown. Stir in the rice, tomato pulp, cup of the tomato puree, the parsley, mint, garlic, oregano, the remaining teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Stirring constantly, cook briskly until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates and the mixture is thick enough to hold ts shape almost solidly in the spoon.

Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold them side by side. Fill the tomatoes with the stuffing, packing it in firmly, and cover each tomato with its reserved top. Combine the remaining 1/4 of tomato puree with the remaining 1/4 cup of water and pour the mixture around the tomatoes. Bake uncovered in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, basting the tomatoes once or twice with the cooking liquid.

Cool to room temperature and serve the tomatoes directly from the baking dish.

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