
Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with a legendary dish from Greece – Gemista! This scrumptious meal involves stuffing sweet peppers and juicy tomatoes with a mix of rice and fragrant herbs before popping in the oven for a fabulously savory bake.
Stuffed peppers is a dish which exists in different names and forms around the world.
Gemista are usually stuffed with rice and fresh herbs or ground beef, rise and herbs.
The Greeks cook gemista in both ways.
Ingredients:
5 medium tomatoes
5 small – medium bell peppers
15 tbsp of carolina rice
1 onion (chopped)
4 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup of fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp of fresh mint, chopped
1 cup of olive oil
Directions:
Slice off the top of the pepper and tomatoes.
Use a spoon to remove the inside part of the tomatoes and the peppers.
Save the inner part of the tomatoes you have removed. It will be used for the stuffing.
In a blender, combine the pulp of the tomatoes, 5-6 tablespoons of olive oil, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper and blend. Once smooth, set aside.
In a pan, heat some olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent.
Add the rice and continue sautéing, stirring until translucent. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, 2 cups of water, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil while cooking for 5 more minutes.
(Do not overcook the stuffing. The rice should not be soft. It will soften later during baking time).
Remove the pan from the heat, add the fresh herbs, and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
Stuff the tomatoes and the peppers and cover them with their tops.
Place them in a pan, surround them with the potatoes (sliced) and pour the rest of the tomato mash.
Drizzle with some olive oil, cover the pan, and bake for about 1 hour. at 180C / 350F. Remove the cover, and bake for 30 minutes to colour them evenly.
Serve Gemista with feta cheese or Greek yogurt
January 10, 2025
Do you think brown rice would be good with the stuffing? Trying to teduce the carbohydrate content. I’ve also heard that steaming rice & then allowing it to sit in the refrigerator overnight reduces the carbs. I’m considering making the stuffing in advance–letting it overnight in the fridge & then stuffing & baking. What do you think?
January 10, 2025
Hi
“Brown rice can work well with the stuffing for Gemista, though it has a slightly chewier texture and nuttier flavor compared to white rice. It’s a great choice if you’re looking to boost fiber and nutrition. As for reducing carbohydrates, the idea of steaming rice and letting it sit in the fridge overnight is related to increasing the resistant starch content, which might help lower the glycemic impact.
Making the stuffing in advance and letting it sit overnight in the fridge is a great idea—it allows the flavors to meld and deepen. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. When you stuff and bake the next day, the result should be delicious!