Yemista

Description

Yemitsa, frequently spelled gemista, is a vegetable dish of hollowed-out vegetables, predominantly ripe tomatoes and green bell peppers, stuffed entirely with a wet mixture of short-grain rice, fresh herbs, and heavy amounts of olive oil. The name originates from a verb meaning to fill or stuff, and is a typical summer dish. Yemitsa gained massive popularity across Greece following World War I, largely introduced by refugees arriving from Turkey. Prepping vegetables is the first step. The tops are sliced off the raw vegetables, and the inner flesh and seeds are carefully scooped out to create empty edible shells. The extracted tomato pulp is finely chopped and mixed in a hot pan with sautéed onions, grated zucchini, garlic, and raw rice. Handfuls of fresh mint and parsley, along with salt, pepper, and tomato puree, are folded into the filling before it gets spooned directly into the hollowed vegetables. The stuffed shells are topped with their original lids and tightly packed into a deep baking tray, surrounded entirely by thick potato wedges. A massive drizzle of olive oil and a splash of water go over the top before the entire pan hits a hot oven, baking until the rice softens completely and the vegetable skins become deeply wrinkled and slightly charred. Variations are present in different parts of Greece. Northern areas frequently incorporate heavy amounts of minced beef or pork directly into the rice, while Mediterranean coastal regions mix crunchy pine nuts and sweet raisins into the filling. Beyond tomatoes and bell peppers, large eggplants, zucchinis, and even hollowed onions serve as alternatives to tomatoes and peppers. Yemitsa is served either warm or at room temperature, almost universally accompanied by a large slab of salty feta cheese and thick slices of crusty bread, specifically used to soak up the heavily seasoned olive oil pooling at the bottom of the pan.