How to make Greek-style stuffed tomatoes

What do you do when you have more tomatoes than you can eat? I would usually roast them in the oven and make a tomato puree to freeze and use at a later date as a base for soups, stews or sauces, but I wanted to do something different this time.

I wanted a recipe which would put the tomatoes in the spotlight and would bring out their beautiful sweet taste even more than usual.

A quick look in the fridge reveals some leftover fresh mint and thyme, which starts me thinking about Greek dishes, then an advert on the telly for the film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again seals the deal!

Gemista are Greek-style stuffed tomatoes, or other vegetables, that are baked in a tomato sauce until beautifully soft and sweet. In Greek the word gemista means “filled with” or “stuffed”.

They may be stuffed with minced pork or beef, rice, chopped vegetables… it’s entirely up to you. Most Greek households have their own recipe so feel free to be creative as you like.

Looking at this recipe you will, quite rightly, think there is a lot of work involved, but it really is worth it. These beauties can be eaten hot or cold and will keep for a few days in a sealed pot in the fridge, so make more than you need.

They make an ideal lunch served with a simple leaf or rice salad.

Gemista – tomatoes stuffed with sausage meat, garlic and lemon zest

Serves 3

6 regular or 3 beefsteak tomatoes

For the sauce

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 banana shallots, finely diced
4 fat garlic cloves, minced
1 x 400g tin tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the filling

200g pork sausages, skins removed
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh chopped mint
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
¼ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Wash the tomatoes and pat dry. Slice off the tops and, using a teaspoon, carefully scoop out the tomato pulp, being careful not to puncture the skin. Roughly chop the pulp and put to one side.

Place the tomatoes in a baking dish with the tops off, cut side up. Sprinkle the insides and tops with a pinch of salt and leave to one side.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan on a medium heat and saute the shallots until soft. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove half of the mixture to a bowl and put to one side.

Add the tinned tomatoes to the pan along with the reserved tomato pulp, sugar and oregano and stir well. Sprinkling the hollowed-out tomatoes with salt will have made them give up some of their juices so tip this into the saucepan also.

Bring the sauce to the boil then simmer for 5-10 minutes until it has thickened slightly (it will thicken more in the oven). Season to taste.

To make the filling, add the sausage meat, lemon zest, oregano, parsley, mint, thyme and nutmeg to the reserved sauteed shallots and garlic and mix together well.

Fry off a teaspoon of the sausage mix to cook through and taste, adjusting the seasoning of the raw mix if necessary.

To assemble, remove the tomato shells from the baking dish, pour in the tomato sauce then replace the tomatoes. Spoon the filling into each tomato and top off with the lids.

Cover with tin foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to cook, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft, the tops slightly coloured and the filling is cooked through completely.

Serve two regular or one beefsteak tomato per portion. Spoon some tomato sauce around each gemista and top with shaved or crumbled feta cheese for a little salty tang and sprinkle over plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Make sure you serve with lots of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Follow Beverley Hicks @thelittlechelseakitchen