Gemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍅 4 large tomato
• 🫑 4 medium green bell pepper
• 🍚 200g white rice (dry)
• 🧅 2 medium onions
• 🥒 1 medium courgette
• 🧄 2 cloves garlic
• 🥫 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 🌿 20g parsley
• 🌿 10g fresh mint
• 🌰 30g pine nuts
• 🍇 30g raisins
• 🏺 100ml olive oil
• 🥔 500g potato
• 🧂 2 Tsp salt
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan).
2. Cut the tops off the tomatoes and peppers and keep them as lids. Scoop out the tomatoes into a bowl, remove the seeds from the peppers, and put them all in a large roasting tin. Blend the tomato pulp.
3. Grate the onions and courgette. Heat half the olive oil in a large pan and fry them with the crushed garlic for 6–7 minutes until soft.
4. Add the rice, stir for 1 minute, then pour in the tomato pulp and tomato paste. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, so the rice takes up some of the liquid. It will still be firm.
5. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley and mint, pine nuts, raisins, half the salt and the pepper.
6. Spoon into the vegetables, filling them about three-quarters full, as the rice swells. Add a splash of water to each, and replace the lids.
7. Cut the potatoes into wedges and tuck them around the vegetables. Season with the remaining salt, pour over the remaining oil and add 150 ml of water to the tin.
8. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 30–35 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the tops are browned. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.