When I was on vaca in Greece this summer, I ordered stuffed peppers or tomatoes whenever they were on a menu. Although I love tomatoes, I think peppers add more flavor. This was my grandma (Yiayia) Effie's recipe.
Ingredients:
6 green peppers
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 T butter
1/2 T olive oil
1 can tomato sauce
1 can water
4 T chopped parsley or 2 T dried
4 T chopped mint or 2 T dried
1 T dried oregano
salt & pepper
1/2 cup white rice
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 t cinnamon
Directions:
Cut off tops of peppers & discard seeds & fiber. Rinse in cold water.
Heat olive oil & butter in pan over medium heat.
Add onion & cook for 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add meat & cook until brown (break up meat while cooking).
Add 1/2 can tomato sauce, 1/2 can water, parsley, mint, oregano, salt & pepper, cinnamon, & rice.
Stir and lower heat. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Mix 1/2 can tomato sauce & 1/2 can water. Pour in dish.
Fill peppers in dish.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hr & 20 min.
Tips & Extras
Ground beef - My grandmother only used ground chuck. I try to go for 90/10 in an attempt to be healthy. You can even mix chuck with sirloin for a little bit of both worlds.
Cinnamon - The original recipe calls for 1 t of cinnamon. That might be a bit much for a non-greek (my husband), so add to your taste.
Extra - If you're feeling adventurous, you can add some crumbled feta cheese to the tops of the peppers. My grandfather (Pappou) used to like them this way.
Sauce - The sauce takes on all of the flavors from the peppers. You can serve it with the peppers or toss it on some spaghetti for an extra meal. If you use a bigger pan, you can double the juice and add some potatoes to the pan and cook.
Serve with a big chunk of bread.
