Greek tomato rice - tomatorizo with fresh tomatoes?

[nm1999]

Believe it or not, I’m about to have the first of my early-season tomatoes, maybe a week out! I got the plant from a local greenhouse, so it was a bit further along, and now I’m finally seeing ripe ones. I’d love to make domatorizo (Greek tomato rice) with them.

I’ve only ever made it with canned tomatoes or passata, but this time I want to go all in with the fresh ones from my garden. Do you peel and grate them, or just chop and cook them down? Any tips for getting that rich flavor without overcooking the rice? Do you sauté the rice first or add it straight in?

Would love a tried-and-true method—especially if it’s how your mom or yiayia made it. I want to honor the tomatoes and keep it simple. Thanks!

 

[k_tsoukalas]

How exciting—nothing beats that first bite of a sun-warmed garden tomato! For domatorizo with fresh tomatoes, I use the method my yiayia taught me: score, blanch, and peel the tomatoes first (just 30 seconds in boiling water), then grate them on a box grater to get a pulpy, almost passata-like texture without the skins. This gives a silky base that’s rich and full of flavor.

Sauté finely chopped onion in olive oil until soft, then add the grated tomato with a pinch of sugar and simmer until slightly thickened. I always sauté the rice (Carolina or medium-grain works well) for a couple of minutes before adding the tomato mixture. This helps keep it from getting mushy. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, and add water or stock as needed.

Finish with fresh parsley or mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and some crumbled feta on the side if you like. Summer on a plate!