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Georgian Stuffed Tomatoes

Georgian-Style Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Russian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 8 large tomatoes firm
  • olive oil or sunflower oil as needed
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion diced fine
  • 1/2 tsp. dried fenugreek
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. dried red hot pepper or red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1/2 cup water or as needed
  • 14-16 oz. crimini/oyster/maitake mushrooms diced small
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced fine
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 3 tbs. fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tbs. fresh dill chopped
  • 4 oz. mozzarella sliced to cover the top of the tomatoes, about 1/2-inch thick

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • Start by hollowing out the tomatoes: Cut off the top fifth, then run a small knife around the interior of the tomato. Carefully scoop out the inside. Finely chop up the remaining tops and what has been scooped out of them. Reserve.
  • To make the sauce: Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onions to the oil and saute until softened and translucent. Add the fenugreek, coriander and hot pepper to the onions and saute for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the reserved scooped-out and chopped-up tomato mixture to the pan and 1/2 cup of water and bring the mixture to a simmer. Depending on how much liquid you have from your tomatoes, you may need to add more or less water. You want the sauce to resemble a thick tomato sauce in consistency. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce slightly while you prepare the filling. If desired, you can blend the sauce with an immersion blender or blender, although I prefer to keep it with its small pieces of tomato intact.
  • To make the filling: Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms until their liquid has been fully released and the mushrooms have begun to brown. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the minced garlic to the pan and saute until the garlic is fragrant. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add a cup of cooked rice, the chopped parsley and the chopped dill to the mushroom mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
  • To assemble: Add the sauce to a baking or casserole dish that can snuggly fit all of the tomatoes. On top of the sauce, place the hollowed out tomatoes. Generously fill each tomato with the mushroom mixture, and top with slices of mozzarella.
  • Bake the tomatoes for 30-40 minutes, or until hot, bubbly and with the cheese beginning to brown. Serve warm. Leftover tomatoes can be reheated in either an oven or microwave the next day.

Notes

(Sonya Sanford is a chef, food stylist and writer based out of Los Angeles.)
The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.