GAEA Stuffed Tomatoes "Gemista"

There is nothing more exciting when summer arrives and the first tomatoes are perfectly ripe, than taking them delicately hollowing them of their juices and using the very juices to mix with rice and herbs, to create a stuffing that is absolutely Devine! This is the most awaited Summer dish of Greece

Ingredients

7 large tomatoes
2 cups GAEA Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil
350g glutinous rice
2 finely chopped red onions
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
1 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 bunch mint
1/3 bunch dill
1kg potatoes

Time Needed

120 mins

Servings

4

Method

Take the 6 tomatoes and cut the top just under the stork to form a lid, with a spoon slowly hollow out the interior of the tomatoes without breaking through the skin, place the interior in a bowl and the hollowed out tomatoes upright in a deep baking dish.
Roughly cut the 7th tomato in the bowl with the interior and blitz with a stick blender until smooth like a sauce.
Peel the potatoes and cut them in wedges, dip them into the tomato juice and place them in the baking tray scattered around the tomatoes.
In a frying pan add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and sweat the onions and garlic, with the salt, pepper and sugar, add the tomato paste, rice, herbs and sauté in the pan, add the tomato juice stir well and immediately set aside to cool.
Once cooled enough to handle by hand start filling the 6 tomatoes lovingly with a spoon, cap with the tops, drizzle with the rest of Gaea Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive oil and salt to taste.
Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for an hour, once the hour has passed,blast the oven up to 200°C, remove the foil and allow to brown for 15 minutes.