Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  12      medium        ripe tomatoes
                        sugar
                        salt
                        freshly ground pepper
   1      large         onion -- chopped
     1/4  cup           pine nuts -- (optional)
   1 1/2  cups          short grain rice
     1/2  cup           currants
   1 1/2  cups          hot water
   2      tablespoons   chopped parsley
   2      tablespoons   chopped mint
                        water or dry white wine

Preparation:

Serves: 6 Cooking time: 45 minutes Oven temperature: 180 C (350F) Slice tops from tomatoes and reserve. Scoop pulp and sprinkle cavities with a little sugar. Keep aside. Put pulp in a saucepan with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and simmer until soft. Press through a sieve and reserve pulp. Gently fry onion in half of the oil until transparent. Add pine nuts (if used) and cook for further 5 minutes. Stir in rice, currants, hot water, parsley, mint and season to taste. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fill tomatoes, allowing room for rice to swell. Replace tops and stand in an oven dish. Pour pureed tomato pulp and equal quantity of water or white wine into dish. Spoon remaining oil over tomatoes and cook, uncovered, in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Note: This makes a pleasant luncheon dish or an attractive accompaniment to main meals.