Maschi (Stuffed Tomato With Chopped Beef)
Ingredients
2 lbs. beef,Chopped
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t garlic powder
–or 2 cloves,Mashed
4 T fresh dill,Chopped –or 1 tsp. dill, Dried
2 T salad oil
1 c rice,Cooked
8 lg very firm tomatoes
2 T butter
2 T oil
12 oz tomato paste,Canned
12 oz water (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t garlic powder
tomatoes
green olives
Cooking Instructions
In a 9-inch skillet saute 2 Lbs. CHOPPED BEEF, 1 tsp. SALT, ½ tsp.
PEPPER, 1 tsp. GARLIC POWDER (or 2 cloves mashed) and 4 Tbs. CHOPPED FRESH DILL (or 1 tsp. dried dill) in 2 Tbs. SALAD OIL until meat browns. Add 1 cup COOKED RICE and blend. Cut a slit in 8 large TOMATOES (very firm), halfway across the center. Squeeze at the sides to open the slit. Scoop out all the flesh from inside of tomatoes with a spoon. Refill tomato with beef mixture and close the tomato. Melt 2 Tbs. BUTTER and 2 Tbs. OIL in a large skillet.
Saute the tomatoes carefully in the fat, rolling them gently until they
become dark red on all sides. Remove the tomatoes with the oil and
place in a casserole or heavy saucepan. Prepare sauce as follows and pour over the tomatoes: Combine 2 6-oz. cans TOMATO PASTE thinned with 2 6-oz. Cans WATER, ½ tsp. SALT, 1 tsp. CINNAMON and 1 tsp. GARLIC POWDER. Simmer the tomatoes gently over low flame for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce is cooked.
Remove carefully to a 15-inch round platter. Surround with raw TOMATOES cut in thick slices. Top each slice with GREEN OLIVES. If there is more Maschi filling left over after filling the tomatoes place it in a suitable pan and bake it alongside the tomatoes.
My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalms 42:3)