Stuffed Veggies - Γεμιστά

Hello there! I know it's been a while but here I am! Last day of April and Summer is approaching really fast! I know that good weather is here to stay when it's time to make this dish of stuffed veggies which apparently is the most famous Greek food of all time. I'm telling you; you have to try and make them. It is so simple and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients (Serves 4+)

2 medium tomatoes
2 large green bell peppers
2 large red or yellow bell peppers
2 onions finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
a bunch of mint finely chopped
1/2 bunch flat parsley finely chopped
150 gr feta cheese crumbled (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon died oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted in a glass of warm water with some salt and pepper
Greek Yoghurt to serve

How to make

Halve the peppers lengthways, discard the seeds and hard core but keep the soft inside "stems" in a bowl.

Cut the tops of the tomatoes and keep them aside. Use a spoon to hollow out the inside of the tomatoes, chop the flesh and keep it in thew bowl with the soft pepper pieces.
Place all the vegetables cut side up in a roasting pan or dutch oven.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Coat a pot with 5 tablespoons of olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice stir for 2 minutes, add the oregano and finally add the chopped tomato flesh and pepper pieces.
Pour 1 cup of stock and cook for 5 minutes until the rice gets coated and doesn't stick to the pan.
Remove from heat and add the fresh herbs and crumbled feta. Taste the stuffing for salt and pepper.
Pour inside the pan (avoid the veggies); the glass of warm water with the tomato paste.
Stuff the veggies with the hot rice mixture (don't overfill them) drizzle with  2 -3 tablespoons of olive oil and cover the pan with foil tightly. Bake for one hour, take the foil off, turn your oven into grill or broil mode and broil the food 15 minutes more just for the rice to get some color and become crispy. Serve hot or cold with Greek Yogurt!

Enjoy!!