Greek Capsicum Yemista (Stuffed Peppers)

Information

Ingredients list

• 3–4 green capsicums (bell peppers)
• 1 cup pre-cooked rice and quinoa mix (packet or homemade)
• 100g beef mince (or substitute with chickpeas for a vegetarian version)
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 zucchini, grated (or 2 cups baby spinach – your choice)
• 2 cups passata
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp pine nuts (optional)
• 2 tsp dried raisins (optional)

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Prepare the filling: In a medium frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft.
• Add the beef mince (or chickpeas), oregano, salt, pepper, pine nuts, and raisins. Cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking up the mince as it browns.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add 1 cup of the passata and your zucchini or spinach. Cook until the greens are just wilted.
• Mix in the cooked rice and quinoa, remove from heat, and fold through the crumbled feta.
• Prepare the capsicums: Slice the tops off the green capsicums to create lids, and carefully remove the seeds and core. Keep the capsicum bodies intact for stuffing.
• Stuff and bake: Spoon the mixture tightly into each capsicum, place the lids on top, and arrange them in a baking dish.
• Sauce it up: Combine the remaining 1 cup of passata with 1 cup of warm water. Pour this around the base of the capsicums in the baking dish. Cover with foil.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the capsicums are tender. Remove the foil for the final 5 minutes of baking to let the tops brown slightly.