Greek stuffed peppers - The 100 recipe K-hallenge

Also known as (Piperies Gemistes) this is an authentic Greek favourite that my bff Mona Kiriakopoulos learned from her mother-in-law by feverishly following her around the kitchen. The thought of a brown Indian girl following her Greek MIL is hilarious to me. What's more hilarious is that this recipe could easily stuff 12 peppers, but since I don't have a big fat Greek family, I stuffed only 6 peppers and left the rest at the bottom of the pan. This is a simple and hearty meal and if you have pepper- haters in your family like I do, you can stuff tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant or even hollowed-out potatoes.

1 large finely chopped red onion
4 sticks celery finely chopped
 8 cloves of garlic finely chopped.
600 gms ground beef
2 tbsps dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup parsley
Salt
2 tbsps freshly ground black pepper
2 bottles/cans pasta sauce
1 cup rice, soaked and washed
4-5 potatoes cut in wedges

Lightly brown the potatoes for a few mins and keep aside. Sauté the onion, celery and garlic. Then add the beef, oregano, parsley salt and peppers. Add 1 and a half bottle or can of tomato sauce, cover and cook for 20 mins. Add the rice and cook for 5 mins only. In an over proof dish, place the hollowed out peppers (save the lids). Stuff them with the meat rice mixture and cover with lids. Place the rest of the meat, sauce mixture at the bottom of the pan and add a cup of water. Add the potatoes. Pour the remainder of the pasta sauce over the peppers and bake for 70 - 90 mins till the top of the peppers are brown.


K-omments - I would make this again but with potatoes instead of peppers. I also added a half cup of diced red peppers and sautéed it with the onions.