Pomodori Ripieni di Riso Verde ( Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice)

Ingredients:

Rice - 3/4 cup
Salt - as per taste
Tomatoes (big ones ) - 4
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Basil leaves - 10 to 12 (finely chopped)
Parmesan cheese (shredded ) - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 3 cloves (finely chopped)
Ground pepper - as per taste

Procedure:

1. In 1 litre of water add salt and rice. Cook till rice is 80% cooked.
2. Preheat the oven to 175 C.
3. Cut the top of the tomato and save it. Remove the seeds and pulp of the rest of the tomatoes so that they form a cup.
4. Combine this tomato pulp with olive oil, basil, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper along with rice.
5. Fill the tomatoes with above mixture and close it with top of the tomato (that we have saved in step 3).
6. In a oven proof dish put the stuffed tomatoes and cook till the rice and tomatoes are cooked. This may take about 20 min. Don't forget to check in-between.
7. Take out from the oven and serve.

Tomato Basil Risotto

Ingredients:

Risotto Rice - 1 cup
Milk cream - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes - 2
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 3 cloves (crushed)
Basil - 7 or 8 (finely chopped)
Salt - as per taste
Black Pepper powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Cook the risotto rice in enough quantity of water. Remove it from the stove when it is cooked till 90%.
2. Cut the tomatoes at the top. And remove the seeds and pulp of the tomatoes.
3. Mix pulp of tomatoes with the rice.
4.Add the olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, basil and pepper powder. Mix well.
5. Add more water and continue to cook for 8 min.
6. Finally add the milk cream and mix well. Cook it on low flame so that bottom won't burn. Once it starts to get together switch off the stove.
7. Serve hot.

Caution: For quantity of water please refer to instructions of the risotto rice pack. The required water quantity may vary.

Fagiolini alla Fiorentina (Beans with Fennel seeds)

Ingredients:

Olive oil - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Beans - 1/2 cup
Yellow onion - 1 ( finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 ( remove the seeds and chop finely)
Salt - as per taste
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. In a wok or pan take olive oil. Add chopped onions and fennel seeds. Fry for about 5 min or till the onions become translucent.
2. Add the tomatoes and fry for another 7 min.
3. Add beans and continue to fry for about 10 min.
4. Add salt and pepper powder. Stir well.
5. Switch off the stove and serve.