The tastiest gemista (Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes)

Step 1

Slice the top of the tomatoes off (keeping each top close to its corresponding tomato), then scoop the flesh out of them using a teaspoon. Leave enough around the edge so that the tomato ‘shell’ stays intact. Put the tomato flesh straight into a food processor.

Step 2

Add the olive oil, tomato puree, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine and make a sauce.

Step 3

Now slice the tops off the peppers (keeping the tops close by) and scoop out the pith and seeds. Arrange the empty peppers and tomatoes in a large baking dish (keeping the tops close by).

Step 4

Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 390F. Heat up a big drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan and add the grated onions, zucchini, carrot and garlic. Cook and stir for a few minutes until softened, then add the beef. Cook and stir again until meat is browned (another few minutes).

Step 5

Add the oregano, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir for about another minute.

Step 6

Add the rice, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and about 1 cup of water. Mix well, then cover and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, until the rice is partly cooked.

Step 7

Stir through the parsley, mint, salt and pepper.

Step 8

Use a dessert spoon to fill tomatoes and peppers with the stuffing. Put the tops back on.

Step 9

Tuck the potato wedges in between the peppers and tomatoes.

Step 10

Pour the tomato sauce that you made in the food processor all over the tomatoes and peppers and potatoes. Then pour over 1 cup (250ml) water.

Step 11

Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 1¼ hours or until the potatoes are cooked and the tops of the vegetables are starting to brown. Remove the foil half way through cooking.

Step 12

Serve a half to a whole tomato and a pepper and a few potato wedges for each person. Spoon over some of the tomato sauce. Serve with a wedge of feta.