Stuffed Peppers (Gemista)

 

Since I was a kid, this was an original  Greek recipe which has been used and passed through my family. It has always reminded me of them, and now I have began to pass this ‘tradition’ onto my children.

This recipe is mainly cooked in the summer because of seasonal foods. This allows the peppers to be fresh and sweet, and great for cooking.

So here is the recipe nice and simple.

Ingredients

  • 8 Bell Peppers (whichever colour you like)
  • 1 onion
  • 1 glove of garlic
  • 350 gr risotto rise ( i use Gallo)
  • 500 gr ground beef
  • salt and pepper and oregano
  • some parsley
  • some mint
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 a can of chopped tomatoes or tomato passata

Let’s make it

  • Cut the tops (lids)of the  peppers and remove the seeds from the inside
  • Chop the onion and the garlic
  • Place a deep pan over heat and add some olive oil (approx.3 tbs)
  • Add the onion and garlic into the pan and heat them until brown
  • Add the ground beef and heat it until brown
  • Add the rice and finally the chopped tomatoes or the passata
  • Add sugar, pepper and oregano
  • Let the filling boil for an hour  by adding a little bit of water every time it’s needed and becomes dry
  • 5 minutes before the filling is done add the parsley and the mint  so their flavors stay fresh
  • Place the peppers in a baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil
  • Spoon the beef mixture onto each pepper and put their lids  back (cut tops)
  • Put them in the oven for about an hour to  180 C

If you would like to make this dish vegetarian, it’s very simple just skip the mince beef and put instead rice with all the other ingredients as well, boil until soft and spoon the peppers with the rice! it’s so delicious! Serve them with Greek feta cheese! Trust me it’s the perfect combination!