Gemista
Gemista (Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes)
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| ~ Ingredients: ~ 8 average size ripped tomatoes ~ 8 green peppers ~ 750gr of minced meat ~ 2 medium size onions finely chopped ~ 1 1/2 cup of olive oil ~ 3/4 cup of rice ~ 4 cups of grated tomatoes ~ Fresh parsley finely chopped ~ 1 tsp of dry mint (ortional) ~ Salt and pepper to taste |
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| ~ Wash the tomatoes and peppers under plenty of running water and dry. ~ Using a sharp pointy knife cut a slice of the tomatoes from the stem side. (Save the tomato slice). ~ Using a teaspoon remove the pulp of the tomatoes. ~ Mush the tomato pulp with a fork and save it. ~ Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper and place them in baking pan with their cut side facing down. ~ If the peppers have long stems cut them short and cut a slice from the stem side of the peppers. (Save the cut pieces) ~ With a teaspoon remove the seeds and the inside of the peppers. ~ Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and place them in the pan with the tomatoes with the cut side facing down. ~ Heat up half of the olive oil in a sauce pan and sauté the chopped onions until they are soft. ~ Add the minced meat and sauté for a few minutes with the onions. ~ Add the tomato pulp you saved from the tomatoes (if not enough, grate some ripped tomatoes), parsley, mint, salt and pepper to taste. ~ Stirring occasionally, simmer until the sauce thickens. ~ Add the rice, stir to mix with the mined meat and simmer for a few minutes. ~ Remove the sauce pan from the heat. ~ Turn the tomatoes and pepper with the opening facing up and fill them up with the stuffing. ~ Do not stuff them all the way up to the rim of the cut because the rice is not cooked yet. ~ Cap the tomatoes and peppers with the cut slices. ~ Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and add about 1/2 a cup of water in the pan. ~ Cover the pan with aluminum foil. ~ Cook in a moderate preheated oven 170-180 degrees Celsius (see conversions) for approximately 1 1/2 hour. ~ Remove from the oven and serve as they are hot with some Feta cheese for accompaniment. ~ Note: ~ Some potatoes (cut in quarters) may be added to the pan along with the tomatoes and peppers. ~ Zucchini, eggplants, zucchini flowers or vine leaves can also be stuffed and be added to the pan along with the tomatoes and peppers. ~ As to the amount of tomatoes and peppers is a matter of preference. ~ As for the color of the peppers, again is a matter of preference. ~ Good luck and bon appétit. |
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