Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 4 medium to large tomatoes
• 1/2 cup long grain rice, uncooked
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup cubed feta cheese (or more)
• 6 pitted black olives, sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 300°f or 150°c (the lower temperature helps to stop the tomatoes from splitting).
• 2 cook the rice in the hot water, simmering over a low heat in a covered pan for around 20 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.
• 3 meanwhile, slice the tops off the tomatoes, just enough to reveal the seeds. also cut a fine slice from the bottom of each tomato, so they can stand up straight but not enough to leave a hole.
• 4 scoop the core and seeds out of each tomato to leave a shell, being careful to leave the base of the tomato intact.
• 5 while the rice is still cooking, make the vinaigrette- in a bowl, beat the olive oil and red wine vinegar until they are completely blended. add the ground oregano and salt and pepper to taste and stir.
• 6 when the rice is fully cooked, remove from the heat. add the cubed feta, black olives and vinaigrette, reserving 8 cubes of feta (or 4 slices if you have them) to place on top.
• 7 spoon the mixture carefully into each tomato shell, until level with the top of the tomato, pressing down with the spoon so the filling is firmly packed in.
• 8 top with the reserved cubes or slices of feta for presentation.
• 9 bake on a baking tray lined with foil for around 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened.
• 10 enjoy!