Γεμιστά Ορφανά (Gemista Orfana Herb Rice Stuffed Veg)
Greek meatless 'orphan' stuffed vegetables: ripe vine tomatoes and sweet bell peppers stuffed with herb-infused rice, pine nuts, currants, and tomato pulp, roasted with potatoes.
Ingredients
- • 4 large round vine beef tomatoes and 4 bell peppers, tops sliced and hollowed out
- • Hollowed tomato pulp, blended smooth
- • 250g Greek Carolina or short-grain rice
- • 2 onions finely minced, 2 cloves garlic, 30g pine nuts, 30g black currants
- • 1 bunch spearmint chopped, 1 bunch parsley chopped, 120ml olive oil
- • 3 potatoes cut into wedges to nestle between vegetables, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper
Preparation Steps
In a skillet, sauté minced onions and garlic in 4 tbsp olive oil for 8 minutes. Add raw rice, pine nuts, currants, mint, parsley, half the blended tomato pulp, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle sugar and salt inside hollowed tomatoes and peppers. Fill each 3/4 full with the rice mixture (rice expands). Place vegetable lids back on.
Pack stuffed vegetables into a large baking pan. Wedge seasoned potato slices in the gaps. Pour remaining tomato pulp, 100ml water, and remaining olive oil around the vegetables. Dust tops with breadcrumbs.
Bake covered with foil at 190°C for 50 minutes, then remove foil and bake 25 minutes more until vegetables are deeply caramelized, potatoes are golden, and rice is creamy. Serve lukewarm.