Orzo-Stuffed Tomatoes

This tomato dish was really tasty and could almost be a meal in itself. The next time I make this recipe, I'll probably create a Greek version with feta, or maybe add some sausage to the orzo mixture to make it a full meal. (FYI: The orzo-and-sauce mixture is more than enough to fill 4 large tomatoes. Three options: prepare for leftovers, half the recipe or stuff a few extra tomatoes before you bake.)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red chile, finely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes
12 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped small
1 cup dried orzo
4 basil leaves, torn
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 kalamata olives, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
Parmesan cheese (optional)
 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook orzo until al dente; set aside. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic 1 minute. Add onion and red chile; sauté 6 minutes. With clean hands, crush canned tomatoes into saucepan. Add minced sun-dried tomatoes, basil leaves, brown sugar, sea salt, and pepper to pan; bring to a simmer. Cook until most of liquid is cooked off (~ 20 minutes). Add olives to pan; remove from heat. Add orzo to sauce, mixing well. Core tomatoes; stuff with orzo-and-sauce mixture. Top each tomato with 2 tablespoons mozzarella. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.