Stuffed Orphans

Stuffed Orphans
Recipe Instructions

Preparing vegetables

Wash all the vegetables thoroughly.
Start by cutting a thin slice off the top of each tomato (like a lid).
Carefully scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a bowl, making sure to leave enough pulp around the skin so they don’t break apart while baking.
We also cut a “lid” off the bell pepper, remove the seeds and membranes.
We follow the same process for the eggplant and zucchini—we remove the tops and scoop out the flesh.

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For the filling

Finely chop the flesh of the eggplant and zucchini.
Puree the tomato flesh in a blender.
In a deep skillet, heat half a cup of olive oil.
Over medium heat, sauté the onion until translucent.
Add the finely chopped eggplant and zucchini and stir well.
Let them cook for a few minutes until they wilt and reduce in volume.
Add the rice, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.
Add 1 cup of water and let the mixture simmer for 5–6 minutes.
The filling should remain fairly moist.
Finally, stir in pine nuts, raisins, and finely chopped herbs (such as parsley, mint, or dill).

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Execution

Fill the vegetables (tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, and zucchini) to about 3/4 of their capacity, making sure to leave enough sauce inside.
Replace the tops and arrange them in the baking dish side by side so they stand upright.
In a bowl, mix the grated tomatoes with the remaining olive oil (1 cup), season with salt and pepper, and pour this sauce over the stuffed vegetables.
Mix a little sugar with breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the vegetable tops.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

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Baking

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
After the first 30 minutes, remove the aluminum foil so they can brown nicely and cook in their own oil.