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Gemista

Gemista: Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers

Giorgos Tsoulis
4.91 from 83 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 5 ripe tomatoes
  • 5 green peppers

For the filling:

  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 250 g glace rice glutinous
  • 400 g tomato juice
  • 10-12 mint leaves finely chopped
  • 10 basil leaves finely chopped
  • ½ bunch parsley finely chopped
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 150-200 ml water lukewarm
  • pine nuts (optional)
  • raisins (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 170° C (338° F) Fan.

For the vegetables:

  • Rinse the tomatoes and bell peppers. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top of each one so you have cap to cover them with once they are filled.
  • Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from the tomatoes. Add the flesh to a food processor and purée.
  • Remove the pith and seeds from the green peppers. You can either discard them or purée them along with the tomato flesh.
  • Using a sharp knife, slice off just a little of the bottom of the green peppers, to help them stand in the pan. Make sure you don’t cut through and create a hole.
  • Arrange the vegetables nicely in a large 30x26 cm (10 x 12 - inch) roasting pan or ovenproof dish.

For the filling:

  • In a large bowl, add the puréed tomato flesh, onion, garlic, rice, mint, basil, parsley, tomato juice and 50 ml (1/4 cups) olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir.
  • Add the filling to the tomatoes and green peppers. Fill them ⅔ of the way, since the filling will fluff up when baking. Add any remaining filling in the baking pan. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining 50 ml (1/4 cups) of olive oil and add the lukewarm water.
  • Cover the tomatoes and green peppers with their caps. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 ½ hours. Remove the aluminum foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
  • When ready, remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Greek feta cheese for a completely authentic Greek taste!

Notes

Chef’s tip: You can also add some raisins and some pine nuts to the filling for a unique Greek taste!
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