I love this recipe. It is both delicious, easy to make and totally vegan. It is a fantastic vegan option for the table this Summer and works brilliantly on the BBQ as well. There is something about this recipe that makes me think of home and family. It must be because it is suited for people of all ages and because it represents the brilliant simplicity and resolution of Italian home cooking. Yes, you heard right, this is for those who cook at home for friends and family, not for the cheffy show-off type!
Wholesome seasonal ingredients paired with amazing Italian grains, this recipe was born for white Arborio rice but I decided to spice it up a little and use the mixed grains of Riso Gallo “3 Cereali” for extra texture and rustic flavour (a mix of rice, spelt and barley that cooks all together at the same time. Brilliant!).
Chef’s tips: Don’t forget to bake the tomatoes over something “spongy” like aubergines or potatoes to soak up the tasty cooking juices.
You can prepare the tomatoes in advance, but don’t serve them cold from the fridge. They’re so much better if warm or at room temperature.
Serve: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes (plus 1 hour for the soaking of the rice)
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Categories: Starter
Ingredients
- 4 round tomatoes on the vine
- 200g of Riso Gallo 3 Cereali
- 1 black aubergine
- 1 small bunch of parsley
- A few leaves of fresh basil
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- 1 tsp of capers, chopped
- 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Rinse well and cut the tops off the tomatoes, creating a little hats for them. With a spoon, carefully remove the seeds and the inside pulp of the tomatoes without breaking them. Remember to save everything at this stage.
- Now blend the pulp and pass it trough a fine sieve to get rid of the seeds. Season with salt and pepper and add 2 tbsp of oil, the capers, oregano, chopped parsley and garlic. Rinse the 3 Cereali under cold running water and soak it in the remaining tomato liquid for at least 1 hour.
- Peel the aubergine and cut it in 1 cm thick slices lengthways. Line up the slices in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
- After 1 hour the grains should have soaked up all the tasty tomato liquid. If not, leave it a little longer. Now stuff the tomatoes with 2 spoons of 3 Cereali each until they are full but not over the top. Cover with the little hats and put them over the sliced aubergine. Now drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle some extra salt over the tomatoes. Bake at 150/160 for about 35/40 minutes until well roasted. Check if the grains are cooked, you should now have the tomatoes almost bursting over the top with the 3 Cereali and the grains in the middle will be moist and soft, but still al dente. The top should be roasted and a little crunchy.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves, chopped parsley and finish of with a touch of extra virgin olive oil. Serve in the baking dish.
Recipe by Danilo Cortellini
For more information and recipes from Riso Gallo click here
We met chef Danilo Cortellini in Milan, we were there with Danilo to discover Italian rice. Danilo is passionate about Italian cooking and very kindly agreed to let us have a few of his favourite Italian recipes for our readership to enjoy trying out.
Danilo is Head Chef at the Italian Embassy in London and was a finalist in MasterChef the Professionals in 2015.
See more recipes from Danilo Cortellini and Riso Gallo recipes here