Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons fresh oregano, leaves
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 2/3 cup dry wine
• 8 (7 ounce) beefsteak tomatoes
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 pinch superfine sugar
• 2 ounces breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

Recipe

• 1 heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
• 2 add the garlic and cook for a moment until aromatic, then add the oregano and stir.
• 3 add the lamb, season and fry, stirring often, until it changes colour.
• 4 add the wine, turn the heat up and cook until all the liquid evaporates. transfer the lamb to a large bowl with a slotted spoon to drain the fat and leave to cool.
• 5 remove a lid from each tomato and either discard or keep for the stockpot. using a spoon, scoop out the insides, reserving them in a bowl.
• 6 purée these in a food processor with a little salt, pepper and sugar. sprinkle the inside of each tomato with a little sugar and place upside down on a double layer of kitchen paper to drain for 20 minutes while you finish preparing the stuffing.
• 7 stir the breadcrumbs, the eggs and feta into the lamb, then stuff this into the tomatoes, levelling off the surface at the top.
• 8 over a medium heat, pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large cast-iron casserole that will hold the tomatoes snugly in a single layer (this helps to contain their sides as they cook).
• 9 add half the tomatoes, stuffed-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes until the stuffing goes a deep gold, then loosen them with a palette knife or spatula, gently turn the right way up, and transfer to a plate while you cook the rest in the same way.
• 10 arrange all the tomatoes stuffed-side up in the casserole.
• 11 spoon 1 2/3 cups of the reserved tomato purée around the tomatoes, bring it to a simmer and then cook, uncovered, over a very low heat for approximately 1½ hours, until it forms a rich, well-reduced sauce.
• 12 remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
• 13 serve hot or at room temperature, drizzled with a little olive oil and scattered with parsley.