COLD STUFFED TOMATOES

Entree or appetizer - Vegetarian - Lactose and gluten free (see notes below)

8 medium tomatoes, ripe but firm
1 cup farro
4 eggs
1 cup baby Italian onions in balsamic vinegar
8 Italian sun dried tomatoes halves
1 cup peas
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup Italian olives (green or dried black)
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil and parsley
4 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp Italian balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinegar of very high quality)


Cut the top of the tomatoes and set it aside. Remove the inner pulp (save it for future use, like a quick tomato sauce), sprinkle with a pinch of salt and flip tomatoes upside down on a colander in order to lose its water.

Cook farro in boiling salted water for about 35 minutes. Drain, rinse quickly and spread it out on a clean kitchen towel to cool down to room temperature.

Hard boil eggs and peel them. Boil peas to your desired doneness and cool them down to room temperature.

Cut baby onions in four, sun dried tomatoes in stripes, roughly chop artichoke hearts and eggs, pit olives and rougly chop them; transfer all of them to a big bowl, along with peas and farro.

Season with balsamic vinegar glaze, olive oil, salt and fresh herbs, toss to coat well; dry tomatoes and stuff with the farro salad. Replace the "lid" on your tomatoes.

If there are salad leftovers, transfer it to an airtight container: it's perfect as office (or work) lunch!!!

This recipe serves 4 (8 if used as appetizer).


- You can use carnaroli rice, small pasta (ditalini or pastina) or gluten free anellini instead of farro. Obviously, you have to adjust cooking time. You can also prepare this dish with NO pasta or grains at all.
- You can add tuna, marinated mushrooms, mozzarella, ham, carrots (diced and boiled), zucchine (diced and boiled).... anything you like!!!
- You can dress your salad with mayonnese, instead of oil/balsamic
- It's vegetarian, lactose and gluten free (when you use gluten free pasta instead of farro)