Greek gemista are juicy, oven-roasted tomatoes and peppers stuffed with herbed rice, spices, and olive oil—bursti

 

 

 

Ingredients:

5 medium tomatoes

5 small – medium bell peppers

15 tbsp of carolina rice

1 onion (chopped)

4 green onions, chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 cup of fresh dill, chopped

2 tbsp of fresh mint, chopped

1 cup of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice off the top of the pepper and tomatoes.
Use a spoon to remove the inside part of the tomatoes and the peppers.

Save the inner part of the tomatoes you have removed. It will be used for the stuffing.

In a blender, combine the pulp of the tomatoes, 5-6 tablespoons of olive oil, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper and blend. Once smooth, set aside.

In a pan, heat some olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent.

Add the rice and continue sautéing, stirring until translucent. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, 2 cups of water, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil while cooking for 5 more minutes.

(Do not overcook the stuffing. The rice should not be soft. It will soften later during baking time).

Remove the pan from the heat, add the fresh herbs, and season with more salt and pepper as desired.

Stuff the tomatoes and the peppers and cover them with their tops.

Place them in a pan, surround them with the potatoes (sliced) and pour the rest of the tomato mash.
Drizzle with some olive oil, cover the pan, and bake for about 1 hour. at 180C / 350F. Remove the cover, and bake for 30 minutes to colour them evenly.

Serve Gemista with feta cheese or Greek yogurt