Dolma Ici Zeytinyagli (Rice Stuffing For Vegetables)

1/2 lb Long grained rice

1/2 c Olive oil

1 c Water

1 lg Tomato

1 md Onion

Few sprigs dill & parsley 1 oz Pine nuts (pignoli)

1 ts Sugar (more to taste)

1 pn Thyme

Salt and pepper 1 oz Currants

This stuffing is for eggplants, pepper, tomatoes and zucchini. It is made with olive oil and served as a cold vegetable dish. Slice onion very finely, skin and roughly chop tomato and wash the rice until the water runs clear. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot and fry the onion until it becomes soft. Add the tomato, pine nuts, currants, sugar, thyme and season and then stir in the drained rice and fry them together for two or three minutes. Cover with just enough water to come half an inch above the the level of the rice and then boil out the water and steam for a few minutes until the rice mixture is dry. Allow to cool. Stuff veggies with mixture, arrange in a flat roasting pan, cover each one with its lid (after insides are scooped out and sprinkled w/ salt). Pour around them enough water to come half-way up their sides. Bake in a 350 oven for 45 min. or until they are well cooked through & soft, but have not lost their shape. Sprinkle w/ chopped dill and parsley. Enough stuffing for 2 pounds of peppers. Recipe from "Home Book of Turkish Cookery" by Venice Lamb. Posted by DEBORAH AKYUREK, Prodigy ID# DNJS60B.