Pomodori Al Riso Recipe

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a baking dish large enough to hold the tomatoes snugly with parchment or lightly oil it.

Slice a thin layer off the top of each tomato (about 1/4 inch) and reserve the tops. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the pulp and seeds into a bowl, leaving about a 1/2-inch thick shell. Be careful not to pierce the sides. Sprinkle the insides lightly with 1 tsp coarse salt and place the tomatoes upside down on a rack for 15–20 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Prepare tomato pulp

Reserve and chop any firm bits of tomato pulp from the scooped tomatoes; pass the remaining loose juices through a sieve into a small bowl to capture liquid and discard large seeds. You should have roughly 60–80 ml of tomato liquid; set aside.

Sweat aromatics

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Toast rice

Add the Arborio rice to the skillet and stir to coat with oil and aromatics. Toast the rice for 1–2 minutes until translucent at the edges.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in the white wine and stir until mostly absorbed. Add 225 ml of the stock and the reserved tomato liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until the rice is nearly al dente and most liquid is absorbed, about 10–12 minutes (Arborio will still be a bit firm since it will finish cooking in the tomatoes). If the pan becomes dry, add up to the remaining stock in 50 ml increments.

Add seafood and herbs

Stir in the chopped shrimp and squid, chopped parsley and basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes until seafood is just cooked through and incorporated; the mixture should be moist but not soupy. Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese and 1 tbsp olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If the filling seems too loose, let it sit 5 minutes to thicken. If too dry, add 1–2 tbsp stock and stir to combine. The final texture should be creamy and spoonable so it will fill the tomato shells without overflowing during baking.

Brush the inside and outside of the drained tomato shells lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil. Spoon the rice-seafood mixture into each tomato, leaving a small gap at the top so the filling won’t spill as it expands. Pack gently but do not compress.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 20 g of the extra grated cheese. Sprinkle a thin layer of the breadcrumb-cheese mix over each filled tomato, then grate a little extra cheese on top if desired.

Arrange the filled tomatoes snugly in the prepared baking dish. Pour any remaining assembled juices from the skillet into the bottom of the dish (not over the breadcrumb topping) to keep them moist during baking.

Cover loosely with foil and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 8–12 minutes until tops are golden, filling is bubbling, and tomatoes are tender but still hold their shape. For a more browned top, finish under a broiler 1–2 minutes watching carefully.

Let the tomatoes rest 5 minutes out of the oven. Transfer to serving plates, garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and basil if you like, and serve with lemon wedges alongside to squeeze over the tomatoes.

These baked Pomodori al Riso are best served warm as a main for 2–3 people or as a starter for 4. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a 170°C (325°F) oven until warmed through.