Greek stuffed tomatoes

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 6 beefsteak tomatoes
• 150 g rice (long grain rice, not parboiled rice)
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 6 pinches of sugar
• 6 pinch(s) ground cinnamon
• 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• 5 sprigs fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• ½ tsp oregano, dried and shredded
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• some pepper, freshly ground
• some salt
• some breadcrumbs
• olive oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 25 minutes

with vegetarian rice filling

Cut a top off the tomatoes (not too thin; from the bottom, i.e. the tomatoes should stand on their intact stems) and use a tomato melon baller to remove the inner flesh and seeds without piercing the tomato wall. Puree the flesh, seeds, and juice and pass through a sieve to remove the seeds. Stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato puree. Wash the rice and soak it in lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes. Drain the rice and season with 6 tablespoons of olive oil, the herbs, the garlic, and a little pepper and salt. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish, add a pinch of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to each tomato, then fill it loosely up to 2/3 full with the rice; do not press the rice down! Spoon about 3 tablespoons of tomato puree over the rice in each tomato so that the rice is lightly covered with tomato puree. Dilute the remaining tomato puree with 50% water and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture between the tomatoes in the casserole dish. Place the lid on the tomatoes, add a little olive oil and some breadcrumbs to each tomato. Place in the oven at 165°C for two hours on the middle rack. Done! The tomatoes can be eaten cold or warm. Serve with baked or fried potatoes. For an alternative herb seasoning, you can also use a combination of 1/2 bunch of dill and 3 sprigs of mint, both chopped. You can also mix some chopped, toasted sunflower seeds into the rice.