Bulgar with Onion, Tomato, & Feta

[kirra]

Bulgar with Onion, Tomato, & Feta

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarse (#3) bulgur
1 teaspoon dried Aleppo
chile flakes or 1/2 teaspoon other dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 large ripe tomato, grated (see cooks' note, below)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups water or chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup crumbled feta (5 oz)

Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

Cook onion in oil in a 2-quart saucepan over moderate heat until softened. Stir in bulgur and chile flakes until coated. Add tomato, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until bulgur is tender and creamy (like risotto), about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup feta and season with salt. Top with remaining cup feta. Serves 4.

Note: In Greece, instead of skinning and chopping tomatoes, cooks cut them in half and grate them on the large holes of a four-sided grater. The tomato skins are left behind. We tried this technique in our kitchens, and it worked beautifully.