The story
Gemista belongs to the eastern Mediterranean tradition of stuffing seasonal vegetables. In Greece, ripe summer tomatoes and peppers are hollowed out and filled with rice, herbs and sometimes minced meat, then baked with potatoes. The dish is prized because the vegetable shells flavour the rice from the outside while tomato pulp, olive oil and herbs season it from within. The edges caramelise as the filling becomes soft and fragrant. Gemista is strongly associated with summer home cooking, when tomatoes and peppers are at their best. A tray can feed a family economically, and meatless versions also suit periods of Orthodox fasting.
Ingredients
- Main
- 2 piece tomatoes4 tomatoes
- 2 piece bell peppers4 bell peppers
- 100 gram rice200g rice
- 0.5 piece onion1 onion
- 1 portion Mint and parsleyMint and parsley
- 15 millilitre Olive oilOlive oil [Phase 1 metric normalisation: standard small-batch olive oil amount for serves 2; source-check if oil is central to dish]
- to taste to taste Salt and pepperSalt and pepper [Phase 1 metric normalisation: salt/pepper seasoning remains to taste]
Method
Method
Scoop out tomatoes and peppers. Sauté onion, mix with rice and herbs. Stuff vegetables, drizzle with oil, bake at 180°C for 1 hour.
Nutrition
per serving
Estimated nutrition for Gemista; use as editorial/testing data and refine from exact ingredient weights if needed.
