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Pomodori col riso
Rice-stuffed tomatoes
Pomodori col riso: Rome's tomatoes stuffed with basil rice and baked over potatoes
Every Roman bakery and rosticceria has a tray of pomodori col riso in summer: big round tomatoes, hollowed out and filled with raw rice soaked in their own pulp with garlic, basil and olive oil, then baked with wedges of potato that soak up the juices. Romans eat them warm or at room temperature for lunch on hot days, often on Ferragosto (15 August). Chef's tip: let the rice soak in the tomato pulp for at least an hour before filling; it softens and then cooks evenly inside the tomatoes.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- 15 basil leaveschopped
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oildivided
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ⅓ lb potatoespeeled and cut into wedges
- 1 tsp dried oregano
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut the tops off 8 large round ripe tomatoes and keep them as lids. Scoop out the pulp and seeds into a bowl, then blend or chop it. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a little of 1 ½ tsp salt and turn upside down to drain.
Step 2: Mix the pulp with 5 ½ oz arborio or other short-grain rice, 1 clove garlic, 15 basil leaves, half of 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ½ tsp black pepper and the rest of the salt. Leave for 1 hour.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Toss 1 ⅓ lb potatoes with the rest of the oil, 1 tsp dried oregano and a pinch of salt.
Step 4: Stand the tomatoes in a baking dish and fill each three-quarters full with the rice and its liquid; the rice swells. Put the lids on and tuck the potatoes around them. Common mistake: overfilling; the rice swells and bursts the tomatoes.
Step 5: Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the rice is tender (taste one) and the potatoes are golden. If the dish dries out, add a splash of water.
60 minStep 6: Rest for at least 20 minutes; they are best warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pomodori col riso take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of large round ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of arborio or other short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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