Il Cucinologo
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Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice, Potatoes, and Mussels

17/11/2023

Tomatoes stuffed with rice, potatoes, and mussels are a typical dish of Italian cuisine, especially from Southern Italy. Here is the recipe to prepare this delicious and flavorful dish.

Ingredients

  • 6 large ripe but firm tomatoes
  • 300 g rice
  • 500 g mussels
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Parsley to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Start by cleaning the mussels: scrub them under running water and remove the beard (the external filament). Then place them in a pan with a clove of garlic and let them open over high heat, covering with a lid. Shell most of the mussels, reserving the liquid from their juices, and leave some whole for decoration.

  2. Wash the tomatoes well and cut off the top cap, then gently empty them of pulp and seeds, trying not to break the skin. Set the pulp aside and salt the inside of the tomatoes, then turn them upside down to drain excess water.

  3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into very small cubes. Chop the tomato pulp and sauté it in a pan with a little oil, salt, pepper, then add the potato cubes and let them brown.

  4. In a pot, cook the rice in salted water for about half the time indicated on the package. Drain and season with oil, chopped parsley, some of the mussel liquid, and the shelled mussels.

  5. Stuff the tomatoes with the rice, adding the whole mussels on top as decoration. Place the tomatoes in an oiled baking dish, distributing the potato cubes around and drizzling everything with a drizzle of oil and some of the mussel liquid.

  6. Bake at 200 °C for about 20-30 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and well browned on the surface.

  7. Serve the tomatoes stuffed with rice, potatoes, and mussels hot or at room temperature.

Interesting Facts

The tomatoes stuffed with rice, potatoes, and mussels represent a particular variant of the classic stuffed tomatoes with rice dish. The mussels add a sea flavor that pairs beautifully with the fresh and slightly tangy taste of the tomato, creating a rich and tasty dish.