Stuffed tomato and pepper (Yemista)

Yemista is another Greek dish that contains vegetables stuffed with rice. It’s made of extremely juicy stuffed peppers and tomatoes, baked in the oven, and seasoned with various fresh herbs. Try it out and enjoy!

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
5 tomatoes, medium-sized
5 peppers (bell), medium-sized
¾ cup + ½ cup olive oil
10 tbsp parboiled brown rice (a spoon for every vegetable)
5 tbsp green lentils, previously blanched
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
½ cup almonds, finely chopped
½ cup vegan feta cheese, diced
½ cup raisins
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup water
1 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions:
1. Cut the tomato tops and set them aside, then carefully remove the inside of the tomato (flesh) and set aside. Cut the pepper tops, set them aside, and remove the seeds and skin from the inside of the peppers.
2. Put the inside of the tomato (flesh) in a blender and blend until thick. Add ¾ cup of olive oil, brown rice, lentils, onion and garlic, mint leaves, parsley leaves, almonds, vegan feta cheese, raisins, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir everything well.
3. Stuff the tomatoes and peppers evenly with the resulting stuffing, and close them with previously cut tops.
4. Put the stuffed tomato and pepper in a baking pot with a lid.
5. Mix 1 cup of water with ½ cup of olive oil and a tablespoon of tomato paste, then coat the vegetables with the resulting mixture.
6. Bake it in the oven at 180 °C, covered for the first 20 minutes, then without a lid for about 10 minutes, until baked.
7. Serve warm and enjoy.