Today we will prepare an easy and quick summer dish, ideal for these hot summer days, cold stuffed tomatoes with barley and mini mozzarella balls.

I used barley, but rice or spelt works just fine as well.

Barley is a grain that is gradually conquering our tables. In grain form, it resembles rice, just a bit plumper and rounder.

Once cooked, it maintains a firm consistency, making it perfect not only for stuffed vegetables but also for soups. Barley is a grain rich in beneficial properties with a delicate taste.

The recipe is very simple, and the ingredients are few and inexpensive. I just ask you to choose good, flavorful tomatoes, ripe but not soft, and to season them well before adding the filling.

During the summer period, they are perfect. I simply used tomatoes, mozzarella, corn, olives, and basil, so you only need to boil the barley, and I assure you it’s really delicious.

Of course, you can prepare the filling however you like, but this way is perfect for enjoying at the beach without feeling too heavy, also great to bring to work.

For the rest, we just have to get to our little recipe, so follow me into the kitchen!

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Inexpensive
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Spring, Summer

363.63 Kcal

calories per serving

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Energy 363.63 (Kcal)
Carbohydrates 48.61 (g) of which sugars 5.39 (g)
Proteins 14.36 (g)
Fat 16.00 (g) of which saturated 5.34 (g)of which unsaturated 3.72 (g)
Fibers 8.24 (g)
Sodium 954.15 (mg)

Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA^* and FoodData Central^** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.

^* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ^** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov

Ingredients for Cold Stuffed Tomatoes

4 tomatoes (large)
2.8 oz pearl barley (raw weight)
1 mayonnaise (1/2 tablespoon)
1 can sweet corn (small)
4.2 oz mini mozzarella balls
to taste chives
12 black olives
leaves basil (to taste)
to taste salt
1 to taste extra virgin olive oil
pepper

Tools

Pot
Lid
Colander
Bowl

Steps for Cold Stuffed Tomatoes

Wash the barley grains in water, then boil them according to the package instructions
Drain and let it cool in a nice wide bowl.
(You can also rinse it to separate all the grains).
(I used barley, but you can also use rice or spelt).
Wash and dry the tomatoes.
With a sharp knife, remove the top cap and scoop out the pulp with a spoon.
(Do not discard the pulp because we will need it).
Slightly salt the inside and let them drain upside down on a plate.
Chop the tomato pulp into small pieces.
Take the chilled barley from the bowl, add the chopped tomatoes, and some of the juice.
Mix well and add the corn, mini mozzarella balls chopped into smaller pieces, chives, and some chopped basil leaves, and 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise.
You can add black or green olives as you like.
Adjust the salt and add just a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
(Of course, you can enrich it as you like by adding or removing ingredients. You can, for example, replace the basil with arugula, the mozzarella with provolone or asiago, or add a boiled egg or tuna, or whatever you have at home).
At this point, fill our tomatoes with the salad.
Decorate each tomato with basil leaves and the caps that were previously set aside.
They keep in the fridge.
They can be prepared in advance and served at room temperature.
Enjoy your meal.