Gemista, meaning "stuffed ones," is the quintessential Greek summer dish. When tomatoes and peppers are at their peak ripeness, Greek home cooks hollow them out and fill them with a fragrant rice mixture, creating a dish that's both beautiful and delicious.
Our gemista features ripe tomatoes and bell peppers stuffed with a mixture of rice, fresh herbs, pine nuts, and currants - that sweet-savory combination that defines much of Greek cuisine. The vegetables are arranged in a baking dish with potatoes nestled between them, all drizzled generously with olive oil.
As they bake, the vegetables become meltingly soft while the rice absorbs all their sweet juices. The tops caramelize slightly, and the potatoes become crispy on the edges while staying creamy inside. Served at room temperature with a chunk of feta cheese, this is summer on a plate.
Our gemista features ripe tomatoes and bell peppers stuffed with a mixture of rice, fresh herbs, pine nuts, and currants - that sweet-savory combination that defines much of Greek cuisine. The vegetables are arranged in a baking dish with potatoes nestled between them, all drizzled generously with olive oil.
As they bake, the vegetables become meltingly soft while the rice absorbs all their sweet juices. The tops caramelize slightly, and the potatoes become crispy on the edges while staying creamy inside. Served at room temperature with a chunk of feta cheese, this is summer on a plate.
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 1.5 hours
Serves: 4
Easy
Ingredients
4 large ripe tomatoes
4 bell peppers (mixed colors)
4 medium potatoes, quartered
1.5 cups short-grain rice
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup currants or raisins
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
4 bell peppers (mixed colors)
4 medium potatoes, quartered
1.5 cups short-grain rice
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup currants or raisins
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Cut tops off tomatoes and peppers, reserve as lids. Scoop out insides. Chop tomato pulp, discard pepper seeds.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add rice, stir 2 minutes. Add tomato pulp, pine nuts, currants, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper.
3. Stuff vegetables 3/4 full (rice will expand). Replace lids.
4. Arrange in baking dish with potatoes between. Drizzle everything generously with remaining olive oil. Add 1 cup water to the dish.
5. Bake at 180°C for 1.5 hours until vegetables are soft and rice is cooked. Baste occasionally.
6. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Best with feta cheese.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add rice, stir 2 minutes. Add tomato pulp, pine nuts, currants, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper.
3. Stuff vegetables 3/4 full (rice will expand). Replace lids.
4. Arrange in baking dish with potatoes between. Drizzle everything generously with remaining olive oil. Add 1 cup water to the dish.
5. Bake at 180°C for 1.5 hours until vegetables are soft and rice is cooked. Baste occasionally.
6. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Best with feta cheese.
