Gemista Recipe (Greek Stuffed Vegetables)

Preparing the Vegetables

1. Start by cutting the tops off the bell peppers and tomatoes. Set the tops aside as they’ll act as lids during baking. Carefully scoop out the insides of the tomatoes, keeping the pulp for the filling.
2. Peel the Yukon gold potatoes and cut them into wedges. These will bake alongside the stuffed vegetables.

Making the Filling

1. In a food processor, finely chop the onion and garlic. Place them in a large bowl along with the rice, chopped parsley, and fresh mint.
2. Using the food processor again, blend the reserved tomato pulp and canned chopped tomatoes until smooth. Pour this tomato mixture into the bowl with the rice and herbs.
3. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil to the rice mixture. Give everything a good stir to combine all the ingredients.

Stuffing the Vegetables

1. Place the hollowed tomatoes and peppers in a baking dish. Arrange the potato wedges between the stuffed vegetables in the baking dish, helping them stand upright.
2. Spoon the rice filling into each vegetable, filling them about three-quarters of the way. Be careful not to overfill, as the rice will expand as it cooks.

Baking

1. Pour any leftover liquid from the rice mixture into the baking dish, followed by two cups of water.
2. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. After this, uncover the dish and continue baking for another 45 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and the potatoes are tender. The tops of the tomatoes and peppers should be slightly charred, and the vegetables soft and juicy.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature.