Greek Gemista – Oven-Stuffed Vegetables with Rice and Herbs

Name: Greek Gemista – Oven-Stuffed Vegetables with Rice and Herbs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 4 large ripe tomatoes; 4 large peppers (red or yellow); 200 g short-grain rice (raw); 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 400 ml passata (sieved tomatoes); 60 ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon sugar; Salt and black pepper to taste; 100 ml warm water

Griekse gemista – oven-gevulde groenten met rijst en kruiden

Juicy tomatoes and peppers stuffed with seasoned rice, fresh mint and olive oil, slowly baked in the bakeVIA mini oven for an authentic Greek summer feast.

Prep25 min
Cook75 min
Total100 min
Servings4 servings

Ingredients

4 large ripe tomatoes
4 large peppers (red or yellow)
200 g short-grain rice (raw)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400 ml passata (sieved tomatoes)
60 ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
100 ml warm water

Preparation

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and set them aside to use as lids. Carefully scoop out the flesh of the tomatoes with a spoon and chop it roughly. Cut the tops off the peppers as well, remove the seeds and trim away any white ribs. Place the hollowed-out vegetables in a greased baking dish that fits in the bakeVIA mini oven.
Heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes until they are translucent. Add the raw rice and stir for 2 minutes until it begins to glisten lightly.
Add the chopped tomato flesh, passata, sugar, oregano, mint and parsley to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper and stir everything together well. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for 5 minutes until it has thickened slightly, then remove the pan from the heat.
Fill the tomatoes and peppers three-quarters full with the rice mixture, leaving enough room for the rice to expand during cooking. Pour the warm water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the stuffed vegetables generously with the remaining olive oil. Place the cut-off lids back on top of the stuffed vegetables.
Preheat the bakeVIA mini oven to 180 degrees Celsius using the oven setting. Slide the baking dish into the bakeVIA mini oven and bake the stuffed vegetables for 70 to 75 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and lightly coloured and the rice is fully cooked. Remove the lids for the last 15 minutes so the tops turn a nice golden brown. Allow the gemista to rest briefly and serve lukewarm or at room temperature, in true Greek fashion.