STUFFED VEGETABLES (GEMISTA)
Ingredients: Tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, potatoes, onion, 2 garlic cloves crushed, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, finely chopped tomato for the stuffing, 150g rice (Karolina or long grain), a pinch of sugar, parsley and oregano
Preparation: Slice off the top of the tomatoes, peppers and aubergines. Scoop out their pulp with a teaspoon into a bowl and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over a medium heat, until soft. Add the tomato pulp to the pan and simmer for almost 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mixture is thickened. Make sure that there is some juice in the pan still. Stir in the rice and leave to cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, until the rice is only half-cooked. Add salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan. Put the hollowed out tomatoes, peppers and aubergines into a slightly oiled baking dish and fill with the rice mixture. Replace the tops. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the tomatoes and veggies are tender and the rice is cooked through. Garnish with basil or parsley leaves and serve with feta cheese and bread.