A classic summer dish on every Greek table, if made without meat they taste even better the next day, can be eaten straight from the fridge on a hot day. I make the summer meatless version. The usual stuffed vegetables that one sees on a Greek table are tomatoes, peppers and zucchini; I have stuffed onions, eggplants and potatoes.
Ingredients:
4 large ripe tomatoes
4 medium size peppers
4 fat but not to big zucchini
Filling:
1 cup of long grain rice
2 cups of hot water
1 onion
1 bunch of spring onions
½ bunch of dill
½ bunch of parsley
1 cup of pine kernels
2/3 cup of raisins or sultanas
the dugouts of the tomatoes and the zucchini, chopped up finely
pepper and salt
Preparing the vegetables:
1. With the tomato upside down slice a small lid, with a teaspoon (easier if it has a long handle) scoop out all the inside and place in a bowl.
2. Inside of the hollow tomato add a sprinkling of sugar. Do this on to the tomato only, other vegetables that are stuffed do not need sugar.
3. With peppers discard stem and cut a lid.
4. Dig out all the seeds and discard.
5. Zucchini – make a lid on the fattest side and scoop out with tomato scoop, leaving it aside.
Preparing the filling:
1. In a deep frypan, sauté the finely cut onion and spring onions.
2. Add the pine nuts and sauté a little more, taking care not to burn the onions and kernels.
3. Add rice and stir for about a minute.
4. Add raisins and mix.
5. Turn down flame to lowest point and add hot water. Cover and allow cooking till rice is half cooked.
6. Cool mixture enough to handle. Fill the vegetables with the filling.
7. Put lid back, line up in oven dish.
8. Sprinkle with about ½ cup of olive oil, cover loosely with foil.
9. Bake for ½ hour in hot oven at 190°C.
10. Remove foil and bake for another ½ hour.
11. Remove from oven.
12. Serve with feta on the table and crusty bread.