Фаршированные Перцы — Stuffed Peppers with Buckwheat and Mushrooms

Bell peppers stuffed with nutty buckwheat and earthy mushrooms, braised in tomato sauce until
everything melds together. This is a standard weeknight dinner across Russia during fasting
periods, and for good reason — it is filling, easy, and tastes like home.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (for strict oil-free days, skip the mushroom saute and mix raw diced mushrooms into the filling before stuffing)

SERVINGS: 4 (2 peppers each)
TIME: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:
- 8 medium bell peppers (any colour), tops cut off and seeds removed
- 200 g roasted buckwheat groats
- 400 g fresh mushrooms, finely diced
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 400 ml passata or crushed tomatoes
- 200 ml water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

METHOD:
1. Cook buckwheat: rinse, place in a pot with 400 ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook for 15 minutes. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 8 minutes until browned and dry. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
3. Combine cooked buckwheat with the mushroom mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Stuff each pepper firmly with the buckwheat filling. Place upright in a deep pot or Dutch oven.
5. Mix passata with water, remaining oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour around the peppers.
6. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 35-40 minutes until peppers are tender.
7. Serve peppers with the tomato sauce spooned over them and fresh parsley on top.

NOTES:
- Buckwheat provides about 13 g protein per 100 g dry, making these peppers genuinely filling.
- You can substitute rice, but buckwheat gives a deeper, nuttier flavor that suits fasting food well.
- These reheat beautifully and are even better the next day.
- Add a can of drained white beans to the filling for extra protein.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 420 | Protein: 16 g | Carbohydrates: 62 g | Fat: 13 g | Fibre: 10 g