Yemista — Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers

Whole tomatoes and peppers stuffed with a fragrant filling of meat, rice, herbs, and pine nuts, then
baked in olive oil until the vegetables slump and caramelise. Classic Greek tavernas serve yemista
as a main course with bread to mop the juices and a block of feta alongside. Summer food at its best.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (beef, can be made fasting with rice-only filling)

SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:
- 6 large tomatoes
- 6 large bell peppers (green, red, or mixed)
- 500 g ground beef
- 200 g short-grain rice
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 50 g pine nuts, toasted
- 50 g currants or raisins
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 100 ml olive oil
- 500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chunks
- Salt and black pepper
- Feta and bread, for serving

METHOD:
1. Cut the tops off tomatoes and peppers (reserve as lids). Scoop out the insides of tomatoes — chop the flesh and reserve. Remove seeds and ribs from peppers.
2. Arrange tomatoes and peppers in a large, oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the inside of each with a pinch of salt and sugar.
3. Make filling: heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Sauté onions 7 minutes. Add beef; brown, breaking up.
4. Add garlic, cinnamon, allspice, and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes.
5. Stir in rice, chopped tomato flesh, pine nuts, currants, and all fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook 5 minutes — the rice should be half-cooked and the mixture fragrant. Remove from heat.
7. Stuff tomatoes and peppers three-quarters full (rice expands). Replace the tops as lids.
8. Tuck potato chunks around the vegetables in the baking dish. Drizzle everything generously with remaining olive oil and season potatoes with salt, pepper, and oregano.
9. Pour 200 ml water into the bottom of the dish.
10. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 180C (350F) for 60 minutes. Remove foil and bake 30-40 minutes more until vegetables are soft, slightly slumped, and caramelised on top.
11. Rest 20 minutes before serving. Serve with feta and bread.

NOTES:
- The rice MUST expand during baking. Do not overstuff, or the rice will not cook through or vegetables will burst.
- The olive oil pool at the bottom of the dish, combined with vegetable juices, is the Greek concept of ladera — "oil-based" cooking. Soak bread in it.
- Some traditional Greek cooks make a vegetarian (fasting-compliant) version with just rice, herbs, and pine nuts. Use that filling for Lenten days.
- Yemista is much better the next day. Make ahead for best flavour.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 520 | Protein: 22 g | Carbohydrates: 56 g | Fat: 24 g | Fibre: 6 g