Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista)

This is a very popular dish in the summer. Although stuffed peppers and tomatoes are well enough known, usually we also have stuffed eggplant and zucchini. They are accompanied by potatoes and can also be accompanied by Feta cheese.

Ingredients
6 large ripe tomatoes
4 green peppers
1 large round eggplant
1 large zucchini
12 tablespoons well-rinsed rice
3 medium potatoes cut as for roast potatoes
2 large onions grated
1 clove garlic grated
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Wash the vegetables with cold water and place them in a large oven dish.

Remove the insides of the tomatoes by cutting a hole at the top and with a sharp spoon carefully scoop out the flesh, without tearing the skin.

Do not throw away the tops that you have cut off.

Put the flesh in a separate pan.

Remove the insides of the peppers, discard the seeds and put the rest in the same pan as the tomato flesh.

Again, do not throw away the tops that you have cut off.

Cut a thin layer lengthwise from the eggplant and zucchini and scoop out the insides, and put the flesh in the other pan. If the eggplant has seeds, discard as many of them as you can.

Do not throw away the layers that you have cut off.

Put the mixture from the pan into a food processor and grate roughly.

Transfer the mixture back to the pan and add the onions, garlic and parsley.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the rice, seasoning and 2/3 of the olive oil, stir well and remove from the heat.

Fill the empty vegetables in the oven dish with the mixture from the pan, leaving a gap of ½ cm at the top of each.

Close the tops of all the vegetables with the tops that you originally cut off.

Dip the potatoes in the remaining 1/3 of the olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Place the potatoes in the oven dish between the vegetables.

Bake in a preheated, moderate oven for 1½ hours or until the potatoes are soft and golden.