• Cook rice (see recipe below.) Use when warm to grab the flavors.
• Cut tops off tops of tomatoes - save tops. Scoop out tomato meat, juice and seeds - add to a bowl; reserve. Sprinkle insides of tomatoes with kosher salt, invert on a paper towel.

  Dice tomato meat from the "tops" discarding the core.

Saute Flavoring Ingredients:

• In a 8 " skillet, add EVOO, set heat to low. Add onions and garlic; cook 2 minutes until just softened. Add the diced tomatoes, and cook to flavor 2 minutes.

  Add the olives, capers, anchovies, hot chili flakes, salt & pepper and cook 2 more minutes.
• Strain 2 tablespoons of "tomato juice" from the reserved tomatoes - add to pan. Add the cooked rice (still a little warm), stir well to combine. Use the remaining pup and juice for another recipe.
• Add the sliced basil. Invert the tomatoes - stuff with the Rice Puttanesca Mixture.

To Serve:

• Serve at room temperature. Drizzle each with Pesto - garnish each tomato with an herb sprig; basil, oregano or marjoram. Serve over fresh basil leaves... pretty!
• Stuffed tomatoes can be stored in a sealed container for up to a day in the refrigerator. Rice can be made ahead of time and added to the tomatoes later too.