Delicious Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers

Instructions

1. Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and put them aside (you will need the tops later). Do the same with the peppers but make sure you take out the seeds.
2. Using a spoon, scoop out the tomato flesh and reserve it in a bowl. Be careful not to pierce through the skin of the tomatoes. Then, using a food processor or food mill, process the pulp until you have a chunky liquid and set it aside.
3. Heat a pan, add the olive oil, and let it warm for a minute but not more than that (you don’t want the oil to burn). Add the chopped onion, garlic, dill, parsley, pine nuts, rice, salt and pepper. Stir them all together for about 3 to 4 minutes;you want the onion to get caramelized. Add the beef and let brown.
4. Add the tomato pulp puree from the fresh tomatoes with a tablespoon of tomato paste, season with a bit of nutmeg and let the sauce simmer and reduce a bit so that it is not too runny. The uncooked rice will absorb the excess liquid as it cooks. Remember, don’t cook the rice through.
5. Place the mixture on a large pan after you stuffed them with the rice stuffing that we just made, replace the caps and use the potatoes wedges to keep them from not falling. I usually like to add some sweet potatoes and cut them the same way as the regular potatoes. Drizzle some olive oil on the vegetables, salt, pepper and a little brown sugar (if you have leftover stuffing, pour it into the pan and on top of the potatoes).
6. Bake them for about an hour at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until they are tender and fully cooked!