Gemista-Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers

A baking pan with gemista-stuffed tomatoes and bell peppers, potatoes and fresh herbs.

Gemista-Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers

Irresistible veggies filled with rice, herbs, and aromatics baked to perfection.

Course Vegetables

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Servings

Calories 759kcal

Author by Jenny | The Greek Foodie

Equipment

11"x14" roaster pan

Ingredients

6 tomatoes ripe but firm large tomatoes
4 bell peppers any color
4 yukon gold potatoes cut in wedges
2 medium onions finely chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil in total
14 oz chopped tomatoes
1 cup long grain white rice like Carolina
1 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
1 cup fresh mint finely chopped
5 tablespoon pine nuts optional
5 teaspoon raisins optional
½ cup breadcrumbs
⅓ cup sugar total, you might not use all of it.
dried oregano
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

for serving

Greek feta cheese optional
crusty bread optional

Instructions

Remove all tomato stems and shorten the bell pepper stems with a knife.
Turn the veggies bottom side up. Cut vertically with a pairing knife in a circle to create a little cap. Save it on the side. If too much flesh comes out, cut off the extra and add it to the stuffing mixture.*
Carefully scoop out the flesh, making sure you do not rip the tomato skin. *Place the flesh in a separate bowl and set it aside.
Sprinkle each tomato with a little sugar and sea salt and turn them upside down to release their juices while you clean the peppers.
Slice the bottom of the bell peppers, cut about 1/4 inch this time. Save the little pepper cap on the side. Carefully remove the bell pepper flesh, and rinse each pepper under water to remove any seeds.
Place the peppers and tomatoes in a large baking pan, open side up this time. Cover each with their little caps.
In a large sauté pan, add four tablespoons of olive oil. On medium heat, sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the rice, pine nuts, and raisins. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Chop up the tomato flesh and add it with its juices to the rice.
Add the crushed tomatoes—season with sea salt, plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and half a teaspoon of sugar. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the filling from the heat and mix in the chopped mint and parsley. Add one tablespoon of dried oregano, and check the seasoning to taste.
Using a spoon, start filling your veggies. Fill around ¾ from the top. The rice will grow in size as it cooks, and you don’t want to overflow your veggies. Cover each with their little caps.
In a separate bowl, mix the potatoes with two tablespoons of olive oil and season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried oregano.
Tuck the potatoes snuggly between the tomatoes and peppers.
Any remaining filling mixture can be added around the veggies and the bottom of the pan.
Mix one tablespoon of sugar with the breadcrumbs. Add a teaspoon or so of the breadcrumb mix to each tomato and pepper.
If you have any olive oil left, drizzle it evenly over the pan.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and continue baking for another 90 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tops of the veggies are nice and golden.

Notes

Do not add the flesh of green bell peppers to the rice mixture. They can be bitter and affect the flavor.
Every oven cooks differently, and you might need to cook them further. Check the potatoes first; they must have nice crusty edges and a soft, buttery inside. The sauce will feel thicker, more jammy and irresistible.
The secret to succulent, amazing gemista is to sauté the onion before stuffing the vegetables. Sautéing the diced onion allows its sweetness to come through and is key for developing great flavor.
You can also stuff zucchini, eggplant, and even zucchini blossoms for this recipe. A great trick is to chop the flesh out of the veggies and saute with the onions. Grate them in a hand grater or add everything in a food processor for a quick chop.
Fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, mint, and fresh oregano add brightness to any recipe.

Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.

Nutrition