Yemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)

5 from 6 votes

Yemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)

Yemista is a traditional Greek dish consisting of summer vegetables stuffed with rice and herbs. Whether it's stuffed tomatoes or peppers, they are always roasted and delicious.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Blue Zone Recipes, Greek

Keyword: Greek Stuffed Vegetable, yemista

Servings:

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Vladka Merva

Equipment

Non Stick Baking Pan

Ingredients

3 Tomatoes
3 Bell Pepper any color

For filling

½ cup Rice uncooked
4 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
1 large onion finelly chopped
½ cup Pine nuts
½ cup Kefalograviera cheese or parmesan cheese shredded
½ cup raisins
salt and pepper to taste
3 handful Fresh herbs ( mint, peppermint or parsley)

For sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup vegetable broth or water
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare the bell peppers and tomatoes by cutting off the tops and scooping out the flesh (retain this for the filling), creating hollow vessels. Set them aside.
In a skillet, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion, and sauté until softened and fragrant. Sprinkle with herbs, mint and parsley finely chopped.
Blend the tomato flesh until pureed and add it to the skillet. Stir in the rice, shredded cheese pine nuts and sultana raisins, stirring constantly to prevent burning. There is no need for the rice to be cooked completely; it will finish cooking during the baking process.
Stuff each tomato and pepper with the filling mixture and close them with the tops of the veggies.
Mix together 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of olive oil, then add a small spoonful of tomato paste along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour this mixture around the vegetables.
Place the stuffed tomatoes and peppers in a baking dish, and place it the preheated oven for about 1 1/2 hour, or until the tomatoes and peppers are tender and slightly blackened in parts. You should be able to pierce them easily.
Switch off the oven and let the dish sit for an additional hour to "mellow" before serving. This step is crucial as it allows a caramelization. Without this last step It would taste like a warm pepper salad mixed with rice.
Serve it warm.

Notes

You can prepare and cook the gemista ahead of time. Cover it with cling film and refrigerate after they cool down in their baking dish. When reheating, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour to warm up. Then, add half a cup of water to the bottom of the pan, cover it, and bake in a medium-heat oven until heated through.

Nutrition