Maschi( Stuffed Tomato With Chopped Beef ) -

Maschi
( Stuffed Tomato With Chopped Beef )

Ingredients

2 lbs beef, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves, mashed
4 tablespoons fresh dill, Chopped or 1 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 cup rice, cooked
8 large very firm tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
12 oz tomato paste, canned
12 oz water (1½ cups)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Tomatoes
Green olives

Method

In a 9 inch skillet sauté 2 lbs chopped beef, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves mashed) and 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill) in 2 tablespoons salad oil until meat browns. Add 1 cup cooked rice and blend. Cut a slit in 8 large tomatoes (very firm), halfway across the center. Squeeze at the sides to open the slit. Scoop out all the flesh from inside of tomatoes with a spoon. Refill tomato with beef mixture and close the tomato. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet.

Sauté the tomatoes carefully in the fat, rolling them gently until they become dark red on all sides. Remove the tomatoes with the oil and place in a casserole or heavy saucepan. Prepare sauce as follows and pour over the tomatoes: Combine 2 x 6oz. cans tomato paste thinned with 2 x 6oz. cans water, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Simmer the tomatoes gently over low flame for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce is cooked.

Remove carefully to a 15 inch round platter. Surround with raw tomatoes cut in thick slices. Top each slice with green olives. If there is more Maschi filling left over after filling the tomatoes place it in a suitable pan and bake it alongside the tomatoes.

Related food category:

• Vegetable Dishes