Whole-Feta Gemista Rice Tray Bake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (oven). Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain. Thinly slice the red onion and garlic, and cut the peppers into 1 cm strips.

   oven

2. Pour the hot stock into a 20×15 cm baking dish and whisk in the tomato paste. Add the rice, onion, garlic, salt and black pepper, stir, and spread it out so the rice is evenly submerged. Feta is salty, so go light on the salt.

   Add in this stepMedium-grain rice (such as arborio), rinsed 120 gVegetable stock, hot 280 mlTomato paste 1 tbspRed onion 1Garlic cloves 2Salt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

3. Set the block of feta in the middle and arrange the peppers and cherry tomatoes around it. Sprinkle with oregano and chilli flakes and drizzle most of the olive oil over the feta and vegetables. Rest the vegetables on top of the rice rather than pushing them in, so they roast.

   Add in this stepFeta (a whole block) 100 gBell peppers (mixed colours) 1Cherry tomatoes 200 gDried oregano 1 tspChilli flakes (optional) to tasteExtra virgin olive oil 1¾ tbsp

4. Cover tightly with foil and bake on oven for 25 min. Uncover and bake for 15 min more, until the rice is tender, the tomatoes have burst and the top of the feta is golden. If the rice is still firm, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot water, cover and bake 5 minutes more.

   oven

5. Cover again with foil and rest for 5 min. Break up the feta with a fork and squash the burst tomatoes into it to make a creamy sauce, then add the chopped mint and parsley, the grated lemon zest and juice and the remaining olive oil, and fold everything together.

   Add in this stepFresh mint 5 gFlat-leaf parsley 10 gLemon ½Extra virgin olive oil ¾ tbsp