Gemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 °C (oven). Slice a 1 cm lid off the stem end of each tomato and keep it. Scoop the flesh into a bowl with a spoon, leaving walls about 0.5 cm thick so they don't burst in the oven, then blend or finely chop the flesh. Cut lids off the peppers too and remove the seeds and white ribs. Sprinkle the insides with some of the salt, and the tomatoes with the sugar.

   Add in this stepLarge tomatoes (firm and ripe) 2Green bell peppers 2Salt ¼ tspSugar ½ tsp

   oven

2. Heat some of the olive oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium heat and cook the finely chopped onion for 5 min until translucent, then add the minced garlic for 30 seconds.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 32 mlOnion 1Garlic cloves 1

   medium heat

3. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat it in oil, then add the blended tomato flesh, tomato paste, some more salt and black pepper and simmer on medium-low heat for 5 min. The rice will still be hard; it finishes in the oven. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped mint and parsley.

   Add in this stepMedium-grain rice (such as arborio), unrinsed 100 gTomato paste 1 tbspSalt 0.4 tspBlack pepper to tasteFresh mint 5 gFlat-leaf parsley 10 g

   medium-low heat

4. Stand the vegetables upright in a 25×20 cm baking dish and fill them only three-quarters full, because the rice swells as it cooks. Spoon a little of the leftover juices over each and put the lids back on. Peel the potatoes, cut them into wedges and tuck them between the vegetables, then sprinkle with oregano and the remaining salt. Pour the remaining olive oil over everything and the water into the bottom of the dish.

   Add in this stepMedium potatoes 2Dried oregano ½ tspSalt ¼ tspExtra virgin olive oil 48 mlWater 100 ml

5. Cover with foil and bake on oven for 40 min, then uncover and bake for 30 min more, until the rice is tender, the lids have dark charred patches and the potatoes are golden. If the dish dries out, add a splash more water.

   oven

6. Rest for 15 min out of the oven so the filling settles and the flavours come together. In Greece gemista is eaten warm or at room temperature, often with feta and bread.