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These stuffed vegetables or gemista are Greek staple dish. And one that I love and look forward to having every time we go to Greece!
Last year we were in Paxos and my husband ordered gemista. I had to steal some and it was so worth it. It tasted like an absolute dream! I filmed a vlog from that trip. There will be a link to it bellow in case you want to get transformed to Greece and enjoy some virtual sunshine. I know I always do!
Back to these stuffed vegetables. They are traditionally served with baked potatoes. This time we chose to serve them just as they are, with some extra olive oil and yogurt, both Greek of course. Those are not optional!
This dish is very simple, made with few ingredients and packed with flavor! Vibrant not only with colors. And when it comes to colors, I always make sure to use different colored peppers. It makes for beautiful presentation!
Gemista – Greek stuffed vegetables
Course: Vegeterian6-8
servings1
hour10
minutesIngredients
4 peppers
3 yellow onions
2 tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil + for the vegetables
2 dl glutinous rice
4 dl water + 2dl to drizzle over vegetables before baking
1 vegetable stock cute
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 zucchini or 1 small
1 carrot
Salt
Pepper
Bunch of parsley
Bunch of dill
Process
- Vegetables
- Peel onions. Slice top and remove the inner layers. Make sure to leave enough outer layer so that onions hold their shape. Chop the removed parts of onions, not to finely.
- Cut top of tomatoes, remove the seeds and save for later.
- Cut top of peppers, remove the seeds and cut small part at the bottom so that they can stand in the baking dish.
- Place all of the prepared vegetables in a baking dish, add some olive oil and salt and pepper to each.
- Filling
- Chop garlic. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and remove the soggy middle part. Then chop it into small cubes. Cut carrot into small chunks. Wash rice. Chop parsley and dill.
- Add oil to a large pan with high sides. Heat up on medium to high heat. Add onion, garlic and cook until onions softer and garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add zucchini, carrot, salt and pepper. Stir briefly. Add rice. Stir briefly. Add tomato puree and stir just until warmed through. Add water, stock cube, tomato seeds, parsley and dill. Stir and cook for around 5minutes or until sauce slightly thickness.
- Fill vegetables with the sauce. Do not over fill. If there is any filling left, spread it around the pan. Add water and drizzle over the vegetables some more oil. Cover.
- Bake at 200 °C for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for around 20minutes more or until vegetables are soft and have developed some color.
- Serve warm with some Greek yogurt.
Recipe Video
Enjoy!
M